The Wedding Date
by Lord of Kavaka
Summary: Her best friend was getting married, and Kate Beckett needed a date. What she got was more than she bargained for. Caskett AU meeting. Based on the movie of the same name. Castle Summer 2016 Ficathon Entry. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

**The Wedding Date**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1**_

* * *

 _Katherine Beckett and Guest  
_ _Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Hurthshaw  
_ _request the honour of your presence  
_ _at the marriage of their daughter  
_ _Madison Queller  
_ _to  
_ _Harrison Wentworth-Thymes  
_ _on Saturday the Eleventh of August  
_ _at three o'clock  
_ _St Peter's Parish Church_

* * *

Kate Beckett had a problem. A _big_ problem. Her oldest friend was getting married, and she needed a date. It wasn't that she necessarily cared about attending the wedding solo, but there was more to it than that. Her jerk of an ex-boyfriend was going to be there. And furthermore, he was to be the groom's best man. Not an ideal situation, to be sure.

She had wrestled with the decision for two weeks after receiving the fancy invitation with the English floral motif. She had hoped to get out of it somehow, silently praying that her boss would deny her the time off to fly to London for the ceremony. But Captain Montgomery was of no help. Instead, her mentor had insisted she attend, going so far as to threaten to put her on non-paid leave for insubordination if she didn't comply. They both understood it was an empty threat, but Kate knew well enough not to cross her captain.

"It will be good for you, Beckett," Montgomery had said. "You're good at your job. Probably the best I've ever seen. But you don't have any fun. So, please, relax and enjoy the time off."

It was not until Maddie had called and practically coerced her into accepting the position of maid of honor that Kate realized she no longer had a choice in the matter. She would have to attend now. And she would need a date if she were to survive seeing her ex-boyfriend again. And that wasn't even mentioning all the well meaning, yet exasperating pestering from the extended Queller-Hurthshaw clan.

After her mother's death, Kate had unexpectedly found herself taken under the wing of Rebekah Queller. The matriarch of the Queller clan took it upon herself to try and fill the motherly void, as it were. And though they were quite a handful, the Quellers had been good to her, keeping her afloat during a really difficult time in her life. Especially Bernard Hurthshaw.

Maddie's stepfather had been a rock for Kate when her own father had been swallowed up by the darkness of his grief. Bernard understood the reasons behind her decision to switch majors and join the NYPD Police Academy, supporting her all the way. He had even helped her reconcile with her father. Jim Beckett had now been sober for six years, and she couldn't be prouder of him. It wasn't like it had been before her mother's death, but it was getting there.

Because of this, and so much more, Kate was willing to suffer through the irritation of having to see her ex-boyfriend again. She had started seeing Will Sorenson after the two had worked a kidnapping case together. Six months into their relationship, Will had been offered a promotion to head up the FBI field office in London and he had accepted the post without even discussing it with her, just assuming that she'd willingly pick up and move with him across the Atlantic. He'd been wrong. And thus ended their relationship.

It was because of Will's new position in London that he had met Maddie's fiancé. It was clear from Kate's conversations with Maddie that the two men were the best of mates. Will had known Maddie through Kate, and somehow—she didn't know when—he had introduced Maddie to his Scotland Yard buddy. Apparently they had hit it off straight from the start. And after a brief courtship, the two had become engaged.

Kate's best friend Lanie had helped her drown her sorrows one night, and it was then, in a moment of weakness, Kate had confessed her complete and utter terror at facing Will—and everyone else, for that matter—at the wedding alone. She didn't want Will to know just how much their break up had broken her heart. She wanted to project strength and resilience. In essence, she wanted Will to believe she'd had no difficulties with moving on.

The problem was Kate really didn't have any prospects to pick from. She would have asked her colleague and friend, Detective Javier Esposito, to assist in the deception if it wasn't for the fact he and Lanie were not so secretly dating. So, in a moment of pure desperation, Kate had agreed to let Lanie set her up with someone. Her friend had recently read an article in _First Press_ about how women looking for the boyfriend experience without the complications of a real relationship would hire a date for the night. Lanie believed it was just the sort of thing Kate needed. However, having worked in Vice for a number of years prior to her current assignment in homicide, Kate was wary of participating in such an arrangement.

Lanie had a contact within the news magazine, and was able to confirm that the operation detailed in the article was legit and above board, as well as obtaining the email address for the unnamed male escort the journalist had interviewed for the piece. After reviewing all the facts, Kate tentatively acknowledged that everything appeared to be on the up and up. This man was not a prostitute. And she wouldn't be paying him for sex, just to play a part. It was like hiring an actor, at least that's what she told herself.

Still, Kate was reluctant. The questionable legality of it made her waver. But she really couldn't find an alternative solution that didn't involve unintentionally stringing some poor guy along. So, after some hesitation—and after running a background check on him—Kate had agreed to let her best friend email the man on her behalf. It was an act of pure insanity on her part, totally out of character for her but she was desperate. And desperate times called for desperate—and maybe somewhat unorthodox—measures, even if that called for her to bend a few of her own rules to see it through. If anything at all, it would at least help her put on a proud front while attending Maddie's wedding and facing her ex-boyfriend without showing just how much seeing him affected her.

"Hey, there's nothing to worry about, sweetie," Lanie had assured her after they'd sent the email. "You're both consenting adults, right? And it's not like you're paying the man to have sex with you. Though, judging from the current state of your love life, I'd recommend throwing caution to the wind. Especially if he's a looker. Who knows, Kate, it could be fun."

"I'm not looking for fun," had been her reply.

And now the moment of truth, so to speak, was upon her. The flight was booked, tickets paid for, and everything else had been arranged. All that remained was finally meeting the man who would be her fake boyfriend and wedding date face-to-face. It was practically all she could think about while she took a shower that morning. Worry crept into her veins. She already felt somewhat uncomfortable with the dubious legality of it, but she'd felt pressured by Lanie and by the circumstances. But from the few emails she'd exchanged with the man, he seemed professional and completely understanding of the situation and all her requests.

Stepping out of the shower, Kate glanced at her blurry reflection through the fogged up mirror. She couldn't shake the slight look of panic she saw staring back at her. Normally she wasn't this uncertain and anxious when it came to men. But this entire scenario was unlike anything she'd ever done before. It was completely out of her comfort zone.

Letting out a sigh, Kate tried to relax her shoulders as she wrapped a towel around her slender body and padded out of the bathroom and into her bedroom. Her luggage was still open, lying at the foot of her bed. She was mostly finished packing, there were just a few more items and she'd be ready. As she stepped over to her walk-in closet, her phone buzzed from on top her dresser, indicating a voice message had been received. Swiping her thumb across the screen, Kate opened it up to her voicemail and put it on speaker as she placed the phone back down on the flat surface of the dresser, listening to it as she continued drying herself off with the towel.

" _Hi, Kate_ ," came a rich, smooth voice. " _This is Rick Castle. Sorry I didn't get back to you last night, but… I got your messages—all seven of them."_ He paused for a beat before continuing. _"I know you're nervous, Kate. But this is what I get paid for."_ Another pause _. "Now, I'm running a little late, so I'm sending a messenger to pick up my ticket. Don't worry, Kate. Your ex-boyfriend is going to wish he never left you, and your friend's family will think we're in love. You're going to have to trust me. I'll see you at the airport._ " There was another pause, this one filled with something she couldn't quite place. It made her heart quicken, if just a little, in spite of herself. " _I can't wait to meet you._ "

Kate stopped working the towel up and down her legs as the message ended, stunned momentarily by his reassuring words. He didn't sound anything like she'd imagined. He sounded… genuine. Shaking her head, Kate knitted her eyebrows together in a frown as she finished drying herself off. The background check she'd run had uncovered that Richard Edgar Castle had been arrested once for riding naked on a stolen police horse. He must have had connections, because he got off with nothing but a slap on the wrist. Other than that, there really wasn't much she could find. Simply judging by what she found, Kate had not expected him to be so sincere. Yet here he was, already surprising her before they had even met.

She wondered how else he'd surprise her.

Perhaps Lanie was right, she contemplated with a slight upward quirk of her lips as she tugged on a clean pair of panties and strapped her bra on, slipping it in place over her breasts. Maybe she could still have some fun despite the circumstances. After all, it was only a business arrangement. It wasn't like she was going to fall for the guy she was paying to pretend to be in love with her.

XXX

After leaving her a voice message, he finished doing his morning workout before stepping into the shower for a quick rinse off. He checked his reflection in the steam-fogged mirror and smirked, running his hand along his smooth, freshly shaven jaw, liking what he saw. He really was ruggedly handsome. He flashed his reflection a saucy wink and waggled his eyebrows, chuckling to himself as he wrapped a towel around his waist, before he padded out of the ensuite bathroom.

The interior of his spacious Soho loft was stylist yet masculine, demonstrative of someone with refined tastes. But most of that was for show. Hidden behind a row of bookshelves, tucked away in the corner was his personal, private space—his office and bedroom. Those rooms were for him alone. They were his sanctuaries, where he could be himself and not the persona he put on for the benefit of his clients.

Running a hand through his thick brown hair, he paused for a moment, glancing at his bed and the two stylish black leather travel bags resting there. He had never done a wedding before. And he had never flown out of the country for a job. Both were firsts. But there was just something about this particular client—about Kate Beckett—that intrigued him.

She wasn't his typical client, that's for sure. He'd looked her up after that initial email, as he typically did with most clients. What he found gave him some pause. She was a cop, which surprised him. And because of that he had been hesitant about responding, worried it was some sort of entrapment. He didn't prostitute himself. He merely provided his clients with companionship. Nothing more. Nothing less. It was purely a business transaction. He didn't really consider what he did for a living illegal, but some might see it differently.

In the end it had been the cop's desperation that had won him over. She made it clear that hiring him had been an absolute last resort. Yet at the same time, he sensed something else in her voice behind the frantic requests. He couldn't yet put his finger on what it was exactly, but it felt a lot like… hope?

Whatever it was… she intrigued him. And that prompted him to agree to her request. Plus, it didn't hurt that she was willing to pay his six thousand dollar fee. And from pictures he'd seen of her from the online news websites, she was a strikingly beautiful woman. He looked forward to meeting her in person. No matter the circumstances, he was thoroughly convinced that this job would be fun.

He stepped into his walk-in closet, and surveyed the array of dress shirts of varying colors, from deep purple to pale coral white. Yes, he had a long plane flight ahead of him, but that didn't stop him from wanting to make a good first impression with his new client. Besides, there was no harm in someone looking their best, especially when said someone was him.

 _Yes_ , he thought with a smug smirk as he selected a nice blue dress shirt and held it up in front of himself while he stepped in front of the full length mirror, nodding in approval at how the rich color brought out the blue of his eyes. _I really am ruggedly handsome._

XXX

The doorbell buzzed, and Kate hurriedly rushed out of her room, hopping on one foot as she slipped on a stylish pair of high heels as the buzzer sounded again. She skidded through her living room, and dashed for the door, pausing momentarily to compose herself before answering. The bike messenger looked up when she opened the door.

"I'm so sorry," she said, slightly breathless. "I wasn't quite ready for you." She held up one finger, signaling for him to give her a minute. She propped the door open with one hand while she stretched back and reached for an envelope waiting just under the Buddha head on the credenza by the front door. She glanced down at it, running her thumb across the neatly written block letters spelling out the name _Rick Castle_. She knitted her eyebrows together and chewed on her lower lip contemplatively. It was now or never. This was the point of no return.

"Miss?"

The bike messenger's question snapped her back to reality. She flashed him a quick smile and offered him the envelope, but she didn't let go. He raised his eyebrows, and stared up at her.

"It's a plane ticket," she blurted out, unsure what had come over her, but she couldn't help herself. It all just came tumbling out. "For a date. For _my_ date. To my friend's wedding. In London." She paused for a beat, sharing an awkward look with the bike messenger.

"This is a rush delivery, right?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Then you need to let go."

"Oh," she gasped, and relaxed her fingers, releasing the envelope from her tight grasp.

The bike messenger took it and tucked it into the nylon messenger bag slung across his shoulder, smiling politely at her, yet still giving her an odd look, before he shook his head and started back down the hallway towards the elevator.

"Thank you," she hollered after him before closing the door, and leaning her back against the hard surface. She closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath. "Get a grip, Kate. You can do this," she mumbled to herself. She took another deep breath, finding her calm center, and repeated, "You can do this."


	2. Chapter 2

**The Wedding Date**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 2**_

* * *

A frown creased her forehead as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Shit, she thought. This was an international flight and she wouldn't last long if she was already fidgeting. Economy was rather crowded, more so than she'd expected. The seats were small and cramped, and there really wasn't that much legroom, which for someone like her with long legs was very inconvenient.

She pursed her lips and ducked her head down, peeking through the rounded window, watching as the grounds crew rushed about outside the airplane, loading luggage and pumping in fuel. Tapping her foot nervously, Kate pulled her gaze away from the tarmac and back towards the empty seat beside her: 47 B. She flicked her hand up and checked the time on the clunky, masculine wristwatch she wore.

The flight was schedule to take off in just under five minutes. His voice message said he was running late, but if Rick Castle didn't arrive shortly, he would miss the flight. And that was something she couldn't deal with. They were already cutting it close as it was. With disembarking time, the wait at baggage claim, and traffic out of Heathrow taken into account, they would already be arriving fashionably late to the cocktail party the groom's family was putting on as a sort of kickoff bash for the weeklong wedding celebrations. It was like throwing a reception party before the ceremony. Kate thought it was ridiculous, but she supposed it was just another one of those traditions that some people insisted on carrying on.

Kate heaved in a deep breath, and leaned back in her seat, trying to find her inner calm. After sending off the plane ticket with the bike messenger, she'd rushed through her packing and had just barely caught a cab in time to make it to the airport with a marginal window for error. She couldn't let her worries overwhelm her now, especially when she had a long eight hour flight ahead of her.

Relaxing her shoulders, and releasing the tension stored there, Kate snatched up the safety card, absently reviewing the emergency procedures while she waited. She had just started reading the part about the oxygen masks when a large man let out a grunt and huff as he collapsed down into the seat beside her, accidently jostling her. He flashed her an apologetic smile and shifted in the sit, leaning forward as best as his girth would allow so he could nudge his rucksack underneath the seat in front of him.

Kate swallowed hard, trying to mask her disappointment while also stamping down the panic bubbling up inside. She flirted her gaze over the man. He wasn't unattractive for a man his size, but… to say she was hoping for something a little more Jon Hamm than Jack Black would have been an understatement. She opened her mouth to introduce herself when she caught a whiff of his body odor, and nearly gagged. She did her best to cover, turning away and pursing her lips as she casually brought her hand up to shield her nose.

"Boy, I didn't think I'd make it," the large man said, oblivious to her reaction. "I had to hoof it from the other side of the terminal when they announced the standby seating was available."

Her eyebrows rose at that. And her chest unclenched a little in relief. "Oh, so this wasn't your original flight?" she asked, curious.

"Nope," the man shook his head, breathing heavily, beads of sweat dripping down his forehead. He pulled a handkerchief out of his breast pocket and wiped at his glistening brow. "I missed my earlier flight, so the airline put me on the standby list. Oh…," He paused, and knitted his eyebrows together as he gazed at her. "Who was supposed to sit here?"

Kate's eyes widened and her cheeks warmed a little in embarrassment at being caught. "I'm flying to London for my friend's wedding, and…" her voice trailed off as she averted her eyes.

"Your date was supposed to be sitting here, right?" the man finished.

She nodded, trying to play off her disappointment at being stood up on an international flight. The large man shook his head, releasing a heavy breath through his nostrils as he glanced at her with a sympathetic look.

"He called earlier, telling me he was running late," Kate sighed, leaning back into her chair and staring somewhat forlornly out the window as the crowds crew moved about detaching the fuel pump, getting into position to usher the plane away from the gate. She glanced back at the kind man. "I guess he didn't make—"

"Excuse me," a bubbly blonde flight attendant interrupted. "Miss Beckett?"

"Yes?" Kate asked, tilting her head up to look at the woman.

The flight attendant smiled brightly. "You've been upgraded to First Class."

"Wow…um… really!?"

The blonde woman nodded. "Yes. Seat 3C."

She quickly unbuckled her seatbelt, and offered the large man sitting in the seat beside her a polite smile as she got up and attempted to maneuver around him, slipping at one point. "Oh, sorry about that."

The man merely shook his head. "No apologies needed, Miss," he assured, smiling kindly. "Have a nice flight."

"You, too," she reciprocated.

The flight attendant directed her down the aisle, and Kate followed, releasing a breath, grateful to be out of the uncomfortable economy class seating. With all the recent anxiety over the upcoming wedding, seeing her ex-boyfriend again, and meeting the man she'd hired to be her date, it would be nice to kick back and relax in the luxury of first class. Though, she was still a little concerned with the fact that Rick Castle's seat had been given up to a standby passenger. She couldn't help but wonder if that meant she'd be showing up to the cocktail party without her plus one.

"This way," the flight attendant parted the courtesy curtain that separated economy from first class. "Seat 3C."

"Thank you," Kate inclined her head, ducking down as she passed through the parted curtain.

She flicked her eyes up and scanned the numbers on the overhead compartments, searching for the seat number. As she approached, Kate slowed when she spotted a man sitting in the window seat. He had a head full of rich brown hair that was perfectly combed and stylized. He must have sensed her arrival, because he twisted his torso around so he could look up at her with a welcoming smile. He flashed her a charming smile, and held up two glass flutes containing a bubbly liquid.

"Kate," Richard Castle greeted, his voice just as rich and smooth in person. "Champagne?"

Temporarily stunned by his handsome visage, she stood frozen in place for a few seconds or two before snapping back into the present. She nodded, accepting the glass flute as she slid down into the luxury leather seat beside him. Their fingers brushed as he handed her glass over, and an unexpected jolt of electricity sparked up her arm. Kate released a silent gasp at the sensation, but chose to chalk it up to the recycled air. He carried his suave good looks like he had no idea that men weren't built that way anymore, meant for a different era. He smiled at her, his blue eyes sparkling as he did so.

Kate took a quick sip of her champagne, licking her lips nervously as she tried to stifle the butterflies that suddenly manifested in her stomach. Her cheeks warmed in a blush as she glanced at him. Damn. She had expected him to be attractive, but she had not been prepared for his rugged good looks. He flashed her a charming smile, tipping his glass flute up as he took a sip of the champagne, inclining his head in approval at the excellent taste as he swallowed. He had a command and classy presence, yet somehow still seemed totally genuine, which again surprised her, considering what she knew he did for a living.

"Hey," she breathed out, pursing her lips and groaning inwardly at such an inane greeting. Knitting her eyebrows together, Kate shifted in her seat, feeling somewhat uncomfortable despite the luxury cushions. She placed her flute of champagne down on the console between them, and turned to look at her date. "I… um… was starting to worry you were going to—"

"Stand you up?" he inquired with a raised eyebrow, his lips quirking up ever so slightly into a tiny grin.

"Be late," she finished, offering him a polite smile.

"Ah," he bobbed his head, casting a dubious look in her direction.

Ignoring it, Kate settled back into the comfortable seat. "So… first class, huh?"

"What can I say? I like to travel in style," he replied with a warm smile.

She hummed in acknowledgement, but frowned. "I'm not paying for this, am I?"

He flashed her that charming grin again. "Part of the package," he assured with a smooth voice.

"Oh, okay," Kate said, trying to suppress the fluttering in her stomach every time he smiled at her. She wasn't going to let herself fall for him. The flirtatious grin and sparkle in his eyes when he looked at her weren't real. None of it was real, she reminded herself. She was paying him to pretend to be in love with her. Maybe the fluttering in her stomach had nothing to do with his handsome face and more to do with her anxiety over being maid of honor and seeing Will again. "Well, Castle, I'm glad you were able to find the plane on time."

"Castle?" he questioned, his brow wrinkling in confusion.

Kate let out a light laugh. "Sorry, force of habit," she explained. "It's a work thing. We use last names."

He nodded. "Homicide detective, right?"

"Yes, how did you—?"

"I'm very good at my job," he interrupted with a suave grin that could probably melt the heart of the most frigid of ice queens. She tried to not let it affect her.

The intercom dinged, and Kate watched as the flight attendants moved up and down the aisle, double-checking the overhead bins, ensuring they were secured. She noticed the bubbly blonde stewardess hesitate and blush as she passed their seats. The woman's eyes had been locked on Castle's handsome visage. Kate couldn't blame the woman, but a strange sensation tugged at her insides. It wasn't quite jealousy or possessiveness, but it was something. Shrugging it off, Kate leaned back, and locked her seatbelt in place.

Soon the flight captain's voice came over the speakers as the airline was pushed off from the gate, preparing to taxi to the runway. Kate glanced over at Castle as the flight attendants did a review of the safety procedures. He looked calm and relaxed. It probably wasn't even an act for him. Unlike her, this situation wasn't completely foreign and new to him.

As if he could feel her gaze and inner thoughts, he glanced over at her with a warm expression and smiled. She pursed her lips, trying to stifle the blush working its way onto her cheeks, offering him a shy smile in return. She ducked her head down to further conceal the rosy pink painting her cheeks, wondering where all the usual confidence she had around attractive men had gone, and settled back into her luxury seat as she heard the airplane's engines rev up for lift off.

Kate closed her eyes and breathed deeply, blocking out the vibrations and shaking of the cabin as the plane fought against the pull of gravity as it hurtled up into the sky. The sensation was an interesting one, and somewhat apropos for how she was feeling with the circumstances caused by Maddie's wedding. She was flying into uncharted territory, and that frightened her a bit. Kate wasn't sure what to expect when they reached London, or how this whole thing was going to play out. But Lanie had been right about one thing—well, a couple of things, to be honest—Castle was definitely a looker, and with just their initial meeting as reference, Kate could already tell that it would be an interesting week.

When the captain's voice announced they'd reached cruising altitude, Castle shifted in his seat and casually slipped a hand on to her bouncing knee. Kate went tense, her eyes going wide as she stared down at his hand.

"I'm sorry, by the way," he murmured softly.

"Huh?" she all but grunted in reply. Kate flicked her eyes up, chiding herself for letting him distract her with his tradecraft. He was a paid escort, not her real boyfriend. He wasn't even someone she properly knew. In reality he was still a complete stranger.

"I really am sorry I couldn't leave earlier," Castle elaborated, his fingers gently squeezing her knee in apology. "I know you would have loved a few hours to settle in before the party."

A sigh escaped her lips before she could stop it. Oh, he was good. Very good.

"Work must be crazy right now," she husked out, filter utterly gone.

Castle cocked his head, flashing her a quizzical look. There was something there that she wasn't seeing. Though, at that moment Kate couldn't exactly tell what it was. She decided to ignore it in favor of giving him a briefing on what to expect when they arrived in London.

"I need to warn you," she asserted in a quiet, almost conspiratorial voice. "You know those families where everyone's out of their minds but at the end of the day, they're family, so you love them anyways?"

Castle inclined his head.

"The Quellers are not like that," Kate asserted. "Except Bernard. But seeing as he is Maddie's stepdad, he's technically not a Queller. He's more like a hostage."

Her companion let out a soft chuckle, his eyes crinkling with amusement. He inclined his head in appreciation of her sense of humor. "And Maddie's mother?" Castle inquired, one corner of his mouth quirk upwards in a half smirk.

"Rebekah means well, but… saying she's a handful is putting it mildly," Kate informed him with a shrug. "She can be very dramatic and just… out there, if you get my drift."

"Oh, I think I do," Castle replied with a knowing sparkle in his eyes. There was something more there, but when he didn't elaborate any further, she shrugged it off and continued with her briefing.

"She's been playing matchmaking with me for as long as I can remember," Kate said. "Just last year she tried setting me up with one of Maddie's cousins." She shuddered at the memory. Robbie Queller had been mildly attractive, but his personality had left much to be desired.

Castle offered her another warm smile, and she couldn't stop herself from smiling back. There was just something about him that made her insides feel all warm and fuzzy. It was probably the good genetics. _Yeah_ , she told herself, _that's it_. "Don't fret, Kate, we'll put a stop to that. Trust me. As I said on the phone, your friend's family will think we're in love."

Kate drew in a slow and steady breath as she bobbed her head, trying to control her expression as her heart quickened just a bit at how sincere he sounded when he voiced that assertion. He just seemed to have such a strong belief that it was the truth. For her part, Kate really didn't really know how she was going to play things. Castle's presence would definitely help with keeping Rebekah Queller from all those pestering inquiries about her love life, and also bring a halt to the ceaseless matchmaking. She also wanted to miff Will with the knowledge—however deceptive it was—that she'd moved on.

This wasn't some bizarre elaborate test to see if he still had feelings for her, she told herself. She was over him.

Completely.

And she intended to prove that, to him and to herself.

After all, Kate glanced over at her companion, that's what Castle was for.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Wedding Date**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 3**_

* * *

Kate closed her eyes and inhaled deeply as they exited through the terminal, happy to finally be breathing fresh air. Their plane had landed on time, and the wait through customs hadn't been as bad as she'd been expecting. The only delay that met them was at baggage claim. Apparently there had been some labor dispute with the ground crews that caused a slowdown in the delivery of the disembarking passenger's luggage to the claim area. While she stood by the revolving carousel, watching for their luggage, Castle made a quick call to a local car service to pick them up at the curb. Part of the package, he'd repeated, assuring her that she didn't have to worry about paying extra.

Though she would have been fine with hailing a run of the mill taxi, to tell the truth, Kate didn't mind the upgrades Castle insisted on providing. Their nearly eight hour flight across the Atlantic had been made so much more bearable with the luxury of first class seating. Kate had never flown first class, so it was a treat for her. The inflight meals were definitely better than what she'd been expecting to get back in economy class, and the seat cushions were so comfortable that she had actually managed to get some sleep during the flight. The rest was probably the biggest boon for her, as it allowed her to face the upcoming cocktail party without the worry of severe jetlag hampering her defenses around Will and the Quellers.

Still, they were going to have to go straight from the airport to the Laneborough Hotel, where the cocktail party was being held. Maddie sure knew how to pick them. The groom's family was loaded, and had secured the private dining room for the early evening event. Looking down at her relaxed casual wear, Kate sighed, knowing that she still needed to find somewhere between the airport and the hotel to change into her dress.

Glancing over at her escort as he pushed the trolley cart carrying their luggage down the sidewalk outside the terminal, Kate noted he looked as suave as ever. It just seemed so effortless for him, like he didn't even have to try. Castle caught her gaze and flashed her a charming smile. She pursed her lips and offered a tight grin in return. After he'd called for the car service, he had ducked into the men's restroom in the airport and had changed out of the dress shirt that had brought out the blue in his eyes and into a crisp white shirt, which he augmented with a powder blue necktie.

"Whoa! Castle, wait…," she blurted out.

Castle stopped midstride obediently and arched his neck to look at her with a puzzled expression. "Yes?" he questioned.

She stared at him for a long beat. God, even with a confused expression he was still so handsome. Damn him. Shaking her head slightly, she gestured to his tie. "Please tell me you're not wearing that to the party."

"Why, what's wrong with it?" he asked, brow furrowed as he glanced down at his suit and tie.

"Nothing," she grumbled under her breath as she looked away and waved her hand in a dismissive manner.

"If you brought it up, Kate, then it's not _nothing_ ," he asserted, prompting her with a dubious look.

Kate sighed, and carded her fingers through her hair as her shoulders slumped in defeat. "It's just that the dress I picked out for tonight is the exact same color as your necktie." When he didn't immediately respond, she continued on, almost rambling at this point. This whole wedding thing totally had her off her game. She would have found it funny, if she weren't so anxious. "It's not a big deal, Castle. Really. It just looks like a tailor cut off a yard of my dress and made your tie out of it."

"So?"

She gaped at him. Did he really not see what the problem was? Kate closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose as she released a slow breath. "Don't get me wrong," she said in response, trying to keep her voice calm and steady, and surprisingly succeeding, much to her relief. "Matching is totally fine. But this, trust me… it would just be too much."

"Ah," Castle nodded, seeming to understand now, though she couldn't help but notice his lips quirk up and his eyes sparkle with amusement. "I get it. You think we'd look like we're trying too hard."

Kate snapped her finger and bobbed her head. "Exactly. I want us to look like we fit, but not like we're trying too hard to look like we fit." She paused. "It's welcome cocktails, not prom. With this level of matching, we should be drinking peach schnapps under the bleachers somewhere."

Castle laughed at that, clearly amused by the notion. "Why, Kate, is that what you did at your prom?"

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "If you must know, I skipped my prom."

"I bet you did," he mumbled with a suggestive tone to his voice.

She chose to ignore him, instead directing her gaze straight ahead, spying what she assumed was the car Castle had called for while they were in baggage claim. The driver was already waiting by the opened trunk.

"We'll need to find a place to stop on the way so I can change," Kate asserted, frowning slightly as she ran through a mental inventory of all the dresses she'd packed, wondering if she had one that could replace the pale blue sundress she had originally planned on wearing to the cocktail party.

"Kate," Castle said softly, placing a hand on her arm and bringing her to a halt. She turned to look at him, protests dying on her lips when she met his intense gaze. "I'll teach you trick. If you look people in the eye, they'll never notice what you're wearing."

She stood there, held captive by his eyes. His charisma was overwhelming and mesmerizing, making her feel like she was the only person on the planet. She really couldn't remember the last time a man had looked her in the eyes like that. Damn, he was a good actor. Castle had talent; she'd give him that. He was really convincing. Not for the first time since she'd met him, Kate wondered why he'd chosen to be an escort. With his charm he could be so much more. His thumb started to gently caress her arm in a tender fashion that was just way too intimate for two people who had just met a few hours previously.

Swallowing, Kate struggled to pull her gaze away from his. "That may be true," she stated, working hard at controlling the rapid beating of her heart. "However, I'm still going to need to change. I can't go to the party dressed like this." She gestured down towards her blouse and jeans. "Trust me, Castle. I'd never hear the end of it from Maddie or Rebekah."

"Sure, we can do that," he smiled sweetly at her, rubbing her arm in an affectionate manner like a boyfriend would do, before turning his attention to the waiting driver and waving the man over.

Kate absently watched the exchange, her mind elsewhere. Is this what she really wanted, to show up at her friend's wedding with a fake boyfriend as her plus one? She couldn't care less about the stigma of being placed at the singles' table, especially since being the maid of honor offered her privilege of a seat at the bridal party's table, making such worries moot. But it was too late to have any second thoughts. She'd already committed herself. Besides, even though she hadn't known him for very long, her escort seemed like a decent enough guy, certainly better than most—if not all—of the previous dates Lanie had set her up on. She pursed her lips and frowned, hating the conflicting emotions raging inside her.

The soft touch of a hand on her shoulder startled her out of her inner thoughts. Her eyes flicked up to his. Her heart jumped up into her throat. Why'd he have to be so handsome?

"So I told Gareth about our _situation_ —nice chap, by the way—and he said he could stop by a pub on the way to the hotel, if that's okay with you?" Castle inquired, raising his eyebrows.

"Um… yeah, Castle… that… uh… that's fine," she managed to fumble out an answer, only really half-listening.

Castle nodded. "Good. Oh, and Kate…?"

She hummed in acknowledgement, shifting her feet and forcing herself to focus, meeting his friendly gaze.

"You should probably try calling me 'Rick'," he said with a somewhat cheeky grin. "Since, you know… I'm supposed to be your boyfriend."

XXX

He sat near the back of the pub, relaxing into the comfortable cushions of the worn leather sofa that was situated not that far from the establishment's lone water closet. Gareth had found a decent spot to park, opting to wait in the car and read through the latest _Daily Mail_ , even though Castle had offered to buy him a pint. Though, at this point, Gareth was probably having second thoughts about declining the free drink. Castle rolled his shoulders and flicked his wrist out to check his watch. At this rate, they would definitely be showing up to the cocktail party fashionably late.

"I'm sorry, Castle," came Kate's muffled voice through the closed door. "I promise, this will be the last one. I'm not usually this indecisive. Honest. I don't know what's come over me. You must think…," her voice trailed off and he arched his neck to glance at the closed door. "God…" she all but groaned. "Who knows what you think?"

"I understand how important this is to you," Castle asserted, shifting in his spot on the sofa. He nodded politely to the busboy that started wiping down tables nearby. "But you're a beautiful woman, Kate, and you've got everything going for you. Honestly, I couldn't care less what you have on."

That made the busboy chuckle, Castle acknowledged it with a cocky smirk. The door opened and Kate emerged, modeling a black strapless dress.

"Don't patronize me," Kate flashed him a pointed look that he felt many a suspect was on the receiving end during an interrogation. God, would he love to watch her work an interrogation room. She was probably a pro, got all the bad boys talking.

"Wouldn't dream of it," came his smooth reply. He flashed her one of his trademark smiles, and was surprised when she didn't melt immediately under it. Odd. That worked most of the time.

Kate was preoccupied with adjusting her dress to notice his small frown. "Yeah, well despite actually getting some decent sleep on the flight, I think jetlag might be settling in. And if I feel like crap, I'd rather look hot while doing it."

She did a little pirouette, and Castle took the unspoken request and checked her out, running his appreciating eyes up and down her long and lithe body. Oh, yeah… she was definitely hot. He hadn't been lying when he said she was a beautiful woman. She was gorgeous… breathtaking, really. It made him ponder, not for the first time, why she'd hired him. She really shouldn't have had any problems finding a date to accompanying her to her friend's wedding.

"Well?" Kate asked, snapping him out of his thoughts.

He flirted his eyes up to hers, and offered her a charming smile. "Mission accomplished."

"Really?" she questioned, biting her lower lip and glancing down at herself. "I don't know. This might be a bit too much. Don't get too attached, okay."

He opened his mouth to object, but before he could get a word out she was already bolting back into the water closet, nearly knocking the busboy over. She quickly apologized and then slammed the door behind her. Castle glanced at the young man. He grinned, his cheeks blushing.

"I liked the red one better," the busboy said.

Castle raised his eyebrows, and let out a hum of agreement. "I'll let her know."

He settled back into the sofa, knowing he was going to need to wait until she could change into yet another dress. He gazed out at the pub, seeing only three other patrons. Checking his wristwatch, he guessed this was probably the lean hours of business between the lunch rush and the evening revelers. He glanced back at the door, before returning his gaze to the rest of the pub, and partook in one of his favorite pastimes, people watching.

Castle spotted an elderly gentleman, a bit portly around the middle, spreading his newspaper out on the table in front of him, before taking a pencil out, circling and marking places. Now, if he were to write this man's story, he'd say that the man was checking on the races or boxing matches, trying to select the bets he'd make that evening. Meanwhile, on the other side of the pub, by the bar, was a younger man, maybe around Castle's age or a bit younger. The man was smartly dressed, but not too nice, maybe an office worker, a grunt who pushed paper. Castle caught the glint of a wedding band on the man's finger, and notice how he kept fiddling with it in-between sips of his beer, a frown marring his face. Perhaps there were some troubles at home.

However, before Castle could speculate any further, Kate was emerging once again from the water closet in another dress. He quirked up an eyebrow, wondering just how many dresses she'd packed in what was arguably not much luggage. His mother took more luggage for a weekend getaway than Kate Beckett had brought for the entire week.

Kate did a little spin and Castle once again admired the way the fabric clung to her slender curves. With her looks she could have been a model.

"Well?"

He let out a little hum in response.

"Mmm, nice dress?" she asked. "Or mmm—" she lowered her voice in the mimicking of a more masculine one "— _Gorgeous, I was insane to let you go!_ "

Castle smirked, finding it difficult to suppress his amusement at her nervousness. "Both," he answered honestly. Really, he found it completely baffling that any man in his sane mind would let this exquisite woman out of his sight. Oh, he was going to have loads of fun making this ex-boyfriend seethe with envy.

"I'd do you," blurted out the busboy.

Kate raised her eyebrows in alarm as she turned to look at the young man, who seemed to cower back under her glare. The busboy averted his gaze, glancing over at Castle for help, but found none. He shook his head and let out a little chuckle.

"I'd quit while I was ahead if I were you," he advised.

The busboy quickly ducked his head down and went back to his work of wiping down the table, seeming to suddenly find a particular grimy spot that needed a lot of elbow grease.

Kate pursed her lips and turned back to Castle. He quirked his eyebrows up in question.

"Well, which dress?" she asked.

He grinned, gazing lazily out at the rest of the pub as he recalled the first dress and how it had clung to her body. "The red one," he answered without hesitation.

Kate chewed on her lower lip, looking indecisive. "You sure?"

Castle lifted his eyes to hers, marveling at the woman he glimpsed beneath the mask she tried to hide behind. Beneath the nervousness and uncertainty, he saw a woman of strength and fierce intellect. That was one of the first things he had noticed when he finally met her face to face. Despite her anxiety with the situation, Castle could immediately tell that there was more to her than met the eye. She had a fire to her, something that he found instantly attractive. Yet there was also a longing, a sadness there too, that despite only knowing her for a short time, he wished he could somehow alleviate.

So, since he couldn't do much else, he offered her a warm smile and answered her question. "Positive."


	4. Chapter 4

**The Wedding Date**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 4**_

* * *

The Lanesborough Hotel in Knightsbridge on Hyde Park Corner was everything the luxury brand signified. With its neoclassical architecture, the building resembled a palace more than a hotel. Strangely enough, the structure was originally a hospital, constructed between 1827 and 1844, replacing a preexisting hospital that had fallen into disrepair. It had served as a hospital until the 1970s. The building had then sat in disuse until 1991, when it was refurbished and re-opened as its current incarnation.

Kate glanced up at the pediment and matching columns that jutted out from the center of the building, sheltering the entrance from the later afternoon sunlight. Standing next to her, Castle was making arrangements with Gareth to see to their luggage. They weren't staying here, unfortunately. There was no way she could afford it.

Besides, Maddie's mom had roped Kate into agreeing to stay with her and Bernard at their London house. Maddie's stepfather had grown up in London. He'd been in the States on business when he'd met Rebekah Queller. Kate hoped things didn't get too awkward being under the same roof as Rebekah. She loved the woman to bits, but sometimes she could be a little too nosy. And with her ruggedly handsome plus one tagging along, Kate knew without a doubt that Rebekah Queller would be on the scent for some juicy gossip.

Heaving in a deep breath, Kate hesitated at the threshold, feeling the butterflies flutter in her stomach. She just could not get rid of these anxious feelings. She glanced over at Castle, watching her date shake hands with the driver before seeing him off. Castle turned back to her with a charming smile and she had to resist the urge to roll her eyes, wondering if he was always so annoyingly perfect. Though, Kate reconsidered, she was paying him to play the suave boyfriend.

Flirting her eyes back to the hotel entrance, Kate hesitated at the threshold as she mentally prepared herself for the rush of Quellers that she had little doubt would pester her with questions about her work and, needless to say, love life. Will would be there too, which gave her slight pause. He was the groom's best man. She hadn't seen him since they broke up. It hadn't been a bad break up, all things considered. But it hadn't exactly been pleasant either.

Kate was so preoccupied worrying about seeing her ex-boyfriend again that she hadn't even noticed that her fake boyfriend had slipped in right beside her, tenderly sliding his hand down the svelte curve of her back, coming to rest on her right hipbone.

Her breath caught, trapped in her throat, as she flicked her eyes up to meet his. He met her gaze with an assured confidence that was rather startling, oddly fascinating, and very attractive. There was just something about this man that made her heart quicken beneath her breast. And it was more than just his good looks, though that didn't hurt.

"I like the red dress," he asserted, letting his eyes drift appreciatively down the length of her body.

She hummed in acknowledgement, offering him a slight nod of gratitude for the compliment. After all, he'd been right. The red dress was a perfect pick. The fabric hugged her curves in all the right places, and definitely provided the effect she had been going for. She looked hot. Really hot. And that bolstered her confidence, which was never usually a problem for her at work. She was damn good at her job. But having focused so much of her energy into become the best detective that she could, Kate had closed herself off to others and built a wall around her heart, to protect herself from ever again experiencing the tremendous loss she had felt when her mother had died. She liked to think she'd thawed a little in her late twenties, but now she was thirty, and in truth, she was lonely most of the time. Which, in retrospect, was probably why she spent so much time at work.

"You okay?" Castle asked, brow furrowing with concern, startling her out of her meandering thoughts. He reached up with a hand and smoothed a stray strand of hair back from her face, gently tucking it behind her ear.

Kate inhaled a quick breath. The brush of his fingertips against her skin left a tingling sensation in their wake. It shouldn't feel so right, yet it did. There was a practiced intimacy to the way he touched her, and Kate was surprised at how much it settled her.

She swallowed thickly before turning to him and answering. "I'm not sure I can do this," she admitted out loud, practically hearing her heart pounding in her ears, her confidence abandoning her at the last second. She felt completely out of sorts, nothing like herself. There was just something about weddings, she guessed, that really got to her. Perhaps it was all the happy people, the romanticized notion that two people were pledging to be together forever. It felt like a lie. It wasn't forever. Death could steal everything. Like it had with her mother and father. It had done so much damage to them. There was a reason she built that wall.

"Kate," Castle spoke gently, coaxing her back to the present as he guided them into the hotel lobby.

She immediately relaxed at the sound of his voice. There was just something about the way he said her name that put her at ease. He inched closer to her, settling his hand on the small of her back as they stood before the entrance to the Belgravia dining hall. "You're never going to be sure of anything, but we still have to go inside."

She flirted her eyes up to his, and bit her lower lip, nodding reluctantly in agreement. "Just pull it off like a band-aid, right?"

Castle chuckled, low and rich, inclining his head. "That's one way to put it, yes."

His humor brought a small smile to her lips, and for that, if nothing else, she was grateful. He was definitely worth every penny. Castle quirked up an eyebrow and offered her his elbow. She pursed her lips and ducked her head down almost bashfully as she accepted, slipping her arm around his as he led them inside the hall.

Kate allowed herself to relax, smiling at other guests, and occasionally seeing someone she recognized, but didn't exactly remember. There were a few people she did know, mostly from the old clique she and Madison had run in back during high school. There was even Cousin Robbie. He flashed her what she could only assume he believed was a seductive wink. Kate acknowledged him, and immediately leaned into her date's side.

Castle seemed to read her mind, and followed her lead. He tilted slightly at her side, unlacing their linked limbs and slipping his arm around her waist. She leaned into his hold as he dipped his head down so that this mouth was inches away form her ear, making it appear as if he was whispering something to her in a very intimate manner. She played along, biting her lower lip and glancing up at him with a heated look that suggested he'd been murmuring things of a passionate nature into her ear. Thankfully Cousin Robbie took the hint and offered a slight wave before redirecting his attention and gracing another unfortunate woman with his charms.

"Kate, honey, you made it!" a woman declared in a slightly slurred voice. "I was wondering where you were."

"Hi, Becca," Kate feigned a bright smile, embracing the somewhat tipsy woman with fading blonde hair she knew as Rebekah Queller, Maddie's mother. "Sorry we're late."

Rebekah pulled back from their hug and gave Castle a once over, grinning up at him with a playful glint in her eyes. "Oh, dear, no need to explain. I think I understand," she winked knowingly at Kate. "Had a bit of a quickie, eh?"

Kate pursed her lips and tried not to spontaneously combust with extreme mortification, while Castle just smirked, clearly enjoying himself as Rebekah took his hand and introduced herself.

"Rebekah Queller, mother of the bride," she greeted. "And who might you be?"

Being very gentlemanly, Castle took the older woman's hand in his and smiled charmingly. "I'm Rick… the new guy," he offered, kissing Rebekah's hand like she was some grand lady. "It's great to meet you."

Rebekah hummed approvingly. "Oh my… you're yummy," she declared with a saucy flare. "Just where have you been hiding this one, Kate?"

But before Kate could answered, Rebekah was grabbing her arm and directing her deeper into the stately hall. Castle followed behind, with an amused expression. She flashed him a little glare, but it only made him grin wider. She rolled her eyes and turned back to Rebekah, trying to keep pace with her friend's mother.

"Now, Kate, this is a marathon, not a sprint," Rebekah asserted. "After welcome cocktails, you've got the young people in the park tomorrow, followed by stags and hens." She glanced at Castle. "I'm sure Harrison would be more than happy if you attended, Rick."

"That should be fun," Castle interjected with a smirk.

Rebekah hummed in agreement, pausing to take another sip of her drink, which was dangerously close to sloshing over the top of rim. "Then there's the picnic and rehearsal dinner on Friday," she finished, before turning to Kate and squeezing her arm, regaining her wandering attention. "And since you've so foolishly left no margin for jet lag… I need you to hydrate, Kate."

Kate rolled her eyes, but offered Rebekah a tight smile just the same. "I'll be fine, Becca. I'm better," she paused, considering, nodding firmly. "I'm good."

Maddie's mother glanced briefly over at Castle before refocusing back on Kate. "Oh, I'm sure, my dear," she grinned mischievously and flashed them both a salacious wink, before drifting off to another group of guests, making the rounds.

Kate released a breath when they were alone. She gave Castle an apologetic look.

"Sorry," she murmured.

Castle shook his head.

"No need," he assured, cocking his head slightly as if lost in his thoughts. "Actually, I know someone just like her."

"Oh?"

Though before Kate could inquire further, they were interrupted once again, but this time by someone Kate was more than pleased to see.

"Bernard!" she beamed, happily wrapping her arms around an older man with a well-trimmed beard and balding crown. "Oh, it's so great to see you!"

Kate closed her eyes and fell into his warm embrace, hugging him tightly. It almost felt like coming home. Oh, how she'd missed him. He'd been like a second father to her, supporting and offering advice during some of the darkest times of her life. Bernard was a wonderful man, and still to this day she wondered just how he and Rebekah worked. They were completely different.

"It's great to see you too, Katie," he said with a soft smile, one she returned. Bernard was amongst a special select few who were allowed to call her that. He glanced over her shoulder with an intrigued expression alighting his blue eyes. "And who's this?"

"Bernard, this is my… boyfriend," she stuttered over the word before recovering, feeling slightly guilty for lying to Bernard. "Rick Castle."

"Pleased to meet you, sir," Castle extended his hand.

Bernard smiled, shaking hands with the younger man. "Likewise," he said. "And no need for the formalities." He paused and lowered his voice as he leaned in. "Just don't call me Bernie."

Kate laughed at that, knowing just how much Bernard disliked the nickname yet never seemed to have the heart to let his wife know, who called him that all that time. Maddie's stepfather glanced at her with a small smile, something akin to pride in his eyes.

"You look good, Katie," he stated softly, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "How's Jim?"

"He's doing a lot better," Kate told him. "We've been meeting up every other week for lunch on Saturdays. And he's been attending meetings weekly. It's not exactly like it used to be before…" she heaved in a quick breath, suppressing the touch of grief that always lingered whenever she thought of her mother, "but he's more like his old self. It… it's good to see him return."

Bernard smiled happily. "That's nice to hear, Katie. It really is. I'm happy for you. Both of you."

"Thanks, Bernard," she smiled at him, leaning into his embrace once again.

"Oh my God! Becks! Is that you!?"

She pulled away from her hug with Maddie's stepfather, jerking her head around until she found the source of the familiar squeal. Her lips tugged upwards when she spotted the bride-to-be, and before she knew it she was being spun around in a dizzying hug.

"Oh, Kate! I'm getting MARRIED!" Maddie declared excitedly, bubbly and a little drunk. _Like mother, like daughter_ , Kate thought.

Maddie was just as vivacious as ever. She glowed with happiness and delight, looking every bit the blushing bride. Kate felt her lips stretch wide, Maddie's enthusiasm infectious. It was almost like being back in high school, but in a good way. Like most friends, they'd had their rough patches, but nothing too serious as to caused permanent damage.

"I know, Maddie, I'm so happy for you," Kate squeezed her back. She really was. Madison Queller, like her whole family, had really been there for her when she'd needed her most.

Maddie laughed airily, smiling brightly. "I know. I never thought I'd be the marrying kind, but Harry…," she trailed off, looking off dreamily. She sighed happily. "He's a great guy. More than I could ever have wished for." Maddie's eyes flirted up lazily, catching sight of Castle over Kate's shoulder. "Oh, and who's this? Got yourself a new boy toy, Becks?"

Kate shook her head and suppressed the need to roll her eyes. She turned around to introduce her date to her oldest friend. "Madison Queller, this is Richard Castle.

"Hello," Maddie extended her hand, which Castle took like a gentleman and kissed. Oh, he was really playing up this gallant act.

"Please, call me Rick," Castle asserted with a suave smile. He stepped over to Kate and confidently curled his arm around her waist as if it was a common occurrence.

Kate felt her heart thump profoundly beneath her chest and was somewhat surprised no one else seemed to hear it. Castle, however, gave her a sideways glance. Perhaps he was the only one that did. She offered him a small smile, and forced herself to relax into his touch.

Castle redirected his attention to the bride-to-be. "So, how'd you two meet?"

Maddie furrowed her brow in confusion, glancing at Kate with questioning eyes. For a moment Kate was worried their deception would be found out, that her oldest friend's bafflement over that fact that she hadn't told her latest beau anything about their friendship when she had invited him to be her plus one.

"High School," Maddie answered with a smirk, her eyes skipping over to Kate's. "Ninth grade French. She was the first one to tell me that kissing boys might involve some tongue."

Kate's mouth dropped, but before she could object to Maddie's reveal about their teenage friendship, the bride-to-be was already off to greet other guests. Kate was left feeling like she'd just been blown over by a hurricane. She turned back to see Bernard smiling at her, looking thoroughly amused by the entire exchange.

"It's times like these, I find a good stiff drink helps," the older man joked with a smirk on his lips.

Castle chuckled at that, and glanced down at Bernard's empty glass.

"Can I get you a refill, sir?"

"Would you?" Bernard inquired. "Oh, how kind."

Castle slipped his arm out from around Kate's waist and she was momentarily caught off guard with the sudden sense of loss that overcame her as he stepped away from her and accepted Bernard's empty glass. She watched, eyebrows knitted together, as Castle sniffed the glass.

"I'm guessing MacCallum, 18 years," Castle asserted, narrowing his eyes in concentration. "Neat, with a water-back."

Bernard raised his eyebrows, impressed. "Is there any other way to take it?"

Castle bobbed his head in agreement, taking the glassed and heading for the bar. Kate watched him go, brow furrowing as she thought about their arrangement, and just how far she was willing to play it. What confused her even more was that fact that she was actually attracted to him. It wasn't just his good looks or charm, but something more, something she couldn't quite put her finger on just yet. However, before she could become too wrapped up in overthinking things Bernard was leaning in, a slight upward quirk to his lips.

"Where'd you find this guy?"

Kate let herself smile as she watched Castle accept the refilled drink from the bartender. Despite only knowing him for a couple of hours, she could already tell that he was more genuine and real than most of her previous boyfriends. It made her feel slightly better about the whole moral ambiguity of their arrangement. After a length pause, she met Bernard's gaze, and decided to be somewhat honest.

"The yellow pages."


	5. Chapter 5

**The Wedding Date**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 5**_

* * *

She saw him during Rebekah Queller's awkward and somewhat embarrassing toast to the bride and groom. He had been standing across the room with whom she could only assume were the groom's parents. He looked good, just as handsome as she remembered with his square jaw and charming grin. Yet despite being dressed in a nice suit and having his blond hair perfectly styled and combed, he still looked thoroughly American standing next to the refined Linda and George Wentworth-Thymes.

It was an odd sensation, seeing him again. Kate had been expecting it, of course, yet she hadn't really thought too much on how it would affect her. To be honest, for the past couple days she had been a little distracted, more focused on what her hired date would be like than on seeing her ex-boyfriend again. Kate had all these ideas in her head, but none of them even came close to reality. And since meeting Rick Castle, most of her energy had then been on how they would play out their deception. But now, finally seeing her ex-boyfriend somehow made it all more real. All that heartache and hurt from their breakup just seemed to tumble back up to the surface.

"Is that him?" questioned Castle, leaning in to whisper in her ear. She tried to suppress the delightful shiver that ran up and down her spine that resulted from the sound of his deliciously smooth voice.

Swallowing thickly, Kate dragged her gaze away from Will Sorenson and looked up into the warm and supportive eyes of her plus one. "Yes," she replied after a pause. "That's him. That's Will Sorenson."

Castle hummed in acknowledgement, cocking his head slightly as he scrutinized her ex-boyfriend from across the room. "Hmm, I see."

Kate furrowed her brow and glanced up at him. "What does that mean?"

"Nothing," he offered a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. "Just… he doesn't look like your type."

"Oh, and how would you even know what my type is?" she challenged with a raised eyebrow.

He locked eyes with her, so sure and confident. "You hired me," Castle answered with a smirk.

Damn. He had her there. The way he looked at her, it was like he was seeing straight through her and reading all her secrets. It was a little unnerving. She pursed her lips and averted her eyes, staring down at the champagne flute in her hand.

"Six months," she blurted out, not sure why.

"What?"

"We dated for six months."

"I didn't ask."

"Yeah, well, you weren't asking very loudly," Kate answered with a soft smile. She sighed and glanced back up, watching through the mingling crowd as Will socialized with other guests, smiling and laughing, looking very much at home as best man. "It was good for a while, but then…," her voice trailed off as she got lost in the painful memories of their breakup. She pursed her lips and looked down again, using everything she had been taught to mask her lingering heartache over something she should have already gotten over.

There was no way in hell that she was still pining for the jackass, not after what he had pulled. The nerve of him, really, thinking that she'd just uproot her whole life to follow him her to London. It was ridiculous. He should have known her better than that. If he had actually loved her, like he'd claimed, then he would have understood her reasons. She wouldn't let any remaining feelings she might have change her decision to prove she had moved on.

"Kate?" Castle asked, placing a comforting hand on the small of her back. The touch of concern in his voice made her heart quicken with feelings that made her want to smile, but also confused the hell out of her. She really didn't have time for this. Or the energy to deal with it. It was painfully obvious to her that she was still struggling over her lingering feelings towards her ex-boyfriend. She didn't need the added confusion of developing feelings for the man she'd hired to be her date. Nope. No. She definitely needed to nip this in the bud before it got out of hand.

"I'm fine," she lied, jerking her head up to look him in the eye, her mask fully in place. He gave her a dubious look, but said nothing, for which she was grateful. She held up her champagne flute. "Can you hold this for a moment? I need to use the restroom."

"Sure," he said, accepting the glass from her, his eyes soft and understanding. "Take as long as you need."

"Thank you," she murmured, flicking her eyes down as she made her exit, heading out of the dining hall and in search of the lavatories.

XXX

Rick Castle found himself wandering around the Lanesborough Hotel while Kate went off in search of the restrooms. He chatted with a few of the other guests, smiling charmingly and laughing at their bad jokes, but he needed a break. So he meandered around until he discovered an opening that led out to a small terrace overlooking the park beyond. He cradled his glass of single malt in one hand and stared out at the flawlessly cut hedges and perfectly arranged flowerbeds.

Leaning against the railing, Castle took a sip from his drink and savored the rich burn down his throat. He closed his eyes and deeply inhaled the early evening air. If he wasn't mistaken, and judging by the gray clouds forming overhead, it was going to rain later that night. He could already smell the moisture in the air. Opening his eyes, he looked back down at the park gardens spreading out below, letting himself relax.

This job wasn't exactly what he'd expected. This was his first wedding. Most of his jobs had been in New York, involving high-class nightclubs or five star restaurants. He had never done one overseas. However, he had done a few extended jobs, such as weekend getaways to the Hamptons, even one to Atlantic City, but nothing like this. He didn't really like weddings, but that might just be because of personal experience.

And then there was Kate Beckett.

She wasn't really his typical client. For one, she was younger, and definitely shouldn't need to hire a date. She was gorgeous. And not only that, but smart. To make detective as fast as she had, she had to be. And there was no hiding that shine of fierce intellect behind those hazel eyes of hers. Beneath all those nerves and jitters over this wedding, Castle could tell she was a strong and independent woman, one who didn't need a man to help define her. That fact alone made him puzzled and curious as to why she would then need to hire him. Kate Beckett didn't strike him as the type of woman who would be bothered about appearances or the need to conform to social expectations.

But then again, he really didn't know her. And whatever her reasons for hiring him, they weren't his business. He was being paid to perform a job, and he'd happily do that. He was having more fun than he had expected, and Kate Beckett… well she was unlike anything he'd expected. Though he was already feeling some things he shouldn't. There were rules in this line of work, and he was dangerously close to crossing some.

"I see I'm not the only one needing an escape."

Castle glanced up to see the chiseled visage of Will Sorenson. He pursed his lips and took another sip of his Scotch as his client's ex-boyfriend joined him at the railing with his own glass of amber liquid. Castle nodded in acknowledgment, narrowing his eyes as he studied the man next to him. He frowned, watching as Sorenson took a sip of his drink. The man definitely looked upset. After a long silence, Castle decided to break the ice.

"Weddings are a celebration of love and commitment," he said. "In Utopia. In the _real_ world… it's an excuse to drink excessively and say things you shouldn't."

Sorenson cracked a grin, leaning against the railing and taking another sip of his drink. "Ah, a philosopher."

Castle smirked. "A writer, actually."

"Really?" Sorenson chuckled. "Anything I'd know."

"Not really, no," Castle answered after a beat, playing with the glass in his hand. "Not unless you read mystery novels."

Sorenson shook his head. "Can't say that I do. I work for the FBI. I have enough mystery in my life, the last thing I want to do when I go home is read murder books."

"That's fair," Castle said with a nod, watching as his drinking companion stared back into the hall at the mingling guests.

"Oh God," Sorenson groaned, turning away and staring back out at the park, swallowing down a big gulp of his drink. He grimaced as the alcohol burned and knitted his eyebrows together in a frown.

"What?" Castle inquired, raising a curious eyebrow.

Sorenson glanced over at him and hesitated for a second. "It's just, there's this girl I care for—God, I suppose I could even say I love her—but we had a falling out a while back. And I was hoping… But she's here with someone else."

Castle managed to hide his surprise. From what Kate had told him, he hadn't expected to hear such a statement from her ex-boyfriend. He glanced away, nodding in understanding and ignoring the slight twinge in his gut over what Kate's reaction might be if she knew how Sorenson felt. If she did, then his services might suddenly no longer be required. She'd no longer need him. And that idea hurt far more than he'd care to admit.

"Yeah, that really sucks," he commiserated, masking his own feelings as he clinked glasses with Sorenson in a silent toast to the other man's misery.

Sorenson downed the rest of his glass, and sighed. "Well, nice to meet you."

"Likewise," he nodded, offering the man a tight smile before watching him disappear back inside the hall.

Castle released a breath and turned back to stare out at the park gardens, trying hard to ignore the feelings of disappointment that were welling up inside him. It wasn't like anything was going to happen. He needed to act like the paid professional he was, because that's all he really was. And Kate Beckett… she was just a client and nothing more. He swallowed thickly, and shook his head. This job might have just got a lot more complicated.

XXX

Kate turned the faucet on and splashed some cold water on her face, mindful not to ruin her makeup. She reached for the paper towels and carefully dried off. Wadding up the papers, she tossed them into the waste bin and stared at her reflection in the mirror above the row of sinks. She sighed. She looked tired. Rebekah had been right. She really hadn't left any margin for jetlag. She should really stay hydrated. Perhaps the champagne had been a bad idea. Kate nodded to herself. When she returned to the cocktail party, she'd see about getting some water.

Stepping back from the sink, Kate adjusted her dress, tugging the hem down a bit and pulling at the neckline until she was satisfied with the hint of cleavage displayed by the modest cut. She twisted her torso left and right, using the mirror to judge the fit of the dress. She smiled to herself. She looked good. Really good. She liked how the dress clung to her curves. Smoothing her hair, Kate closed her eyes and took a deep breath, finding her calm center. She could do this. All she needed to do was make it through the rest of the welcome drinks tonight and then she'll have the evening to herself. She'd take a shower and then cozy up in bed with a good book.

Yeah. That sounded nice.

Feeling more centered and calm, Kate pushed the lavatory door open and stepped into the corridor. She took a right, intending on taking the quickest route back to the dining hall, when she came to a sudden halt when she spotted Will Sorenson emerging from the men's lavatory. His gaze immediately locked with hers, and the two stood there for a long awkward pause.

"Kate," he snapped out of his daze and offered her one of his warm smiles that she used to find so very charming.

She remained motionless, slightly unprepared. She hadn't planned on encountering Will without her date as backup. Will smiled softly, his blue eyes shining as he stepped forward. Kate tensed momentarily as he leaned in and brushed a kiss against her cheek as way of greeting. Her breath stilled and she closed her eyes, unable to resist the allure of his familiar scent. It was like coming home. And despite all her intentions, something long dormant inside her stirred. It wasn't like she intended on rekindling anything, but she couldn't rightly deny the allure of it. Once again, she found herself utterly confused and baffled with her own feelings. His hands lingered along her bare shoulders before falling back to his sides as he took a step back.

"Will," she responded, fluttering her eyes open and licking her lips anxiously. "Hi."

"Hi," he echoed with a soft smile. He pulled back, using the lull in conversation to take her in. "You look gorgeous."

Kate felt her cheeks warm on a blush. She bit her lower lip and ducks her head down. "Thanks," she said. "You look good, too."

They stood there for a long beat, each taking in the other. It was the first time they'd seen each other since their breakup. Kate was unsure how to feel about all the emotions the encounter was dragging back up. It was clear that somewhere, deep down, despite all her efforts, she still had some feelings for Will. But that still didn't negate her heartache with how things had ended. And there was the added complication of her date and the unexpected attraction she felt towards him. Taking a deep breath, she offered him a weak smile and stepped back.

"I… um… should probably get back to the party," she said with a tilt of her head. "I still haven't met the groom."

"Yeah, Harry… he's a great guy," Will said with a tight grin. "He and Madison are perfect together. You'll like him."

Kate nodded. "It was nice seeing you again, Will," she inclined her head and turned to leave, desperately wanting to get back to the safety of the crowd and—oddly enough—Castle's side. Her eyebrows knitted together at the sudden thought.

"I meant to call," he blurted out before she could make her escape. She glanced back over her shoulder to see him offering her a contrite expression. "Must've picked up the phone a dozen times."

Kate took a deep breath, but kept her resolve. "Yeah, I know," she replied, pointedly ignoring his gaze. "You meant to do a lot of things." She paused and turned back around, crossing her arms under her breasts as she finally met his eyes. "That's why you left, remember?"

"London was a great opportunity," Will asserted, a little defensively.

"I'm not saying that it wasn't," she replied. "All I'm saying it that it was a choice." She paused for effect. "That didn't include me."

"You could have come."

She couldn't stop the scoff from escaping, even if she wanted too. "And then done what?" she questioned, irritated by him making this same suggestion once again. "It's not like I could just join up with the Metropolitan Police. And even if I could somehow find employment somewhere, what would happen when you got moved again… and again, and again?" She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, exhausted by this same old, tired argument. "I mean, we both know what this kind of life is all about, Will."

He let out a sigh of acknowledgement and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Didn't stop me from missing you," he admitted in a soft voice. "Missing us."

Kate looked at him for a long beat, attempting to guess what angle he was trying to work. Surely he didn't expect them to get back together. After all, he must know that there was no way she would now suddenly be willing to move to London to be with him.

"Will…," she tried to stop him, but he carried on as if she hadn't even spoken.

"Sundays in the park," he murmured as his lips quirked upwards into a small smile at the fond memories. "Those ridiculous neon ice skates at Rockefeller Center."

Her lips involuntarily tugged upwards at the statement. "I will have you know that those ice skates are awesome."

Will stepped closer. "It wasn't the skates."

Kate stiffened as the distance between them disappeared. She pursed her lips and swallowed thickly. "Will, I— I'm…"

He reached up with one hand to silence her, cupping her cheek in an all too familiar gesture. Purely on instinct, Kate closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. She knew it was wrong, and went against everything she'd decided back in New York, yet she couldn't stop her body from reacting to his knowing touch, in spite of all the conflicting thoughts running through her head.

However, before she could give voice to those thoughts, Will was dipping his head down and covering her mouth with his in a kiss. Oh, and it was hot, just like the kind they shared when they were together. It was like she was operating on muscle memory. All those feelings she was working so hard at suppressing were suddenly unleashed with the touch of his lips to hers. She was powerless to stop herself. But before things could get too carried away, a man clearing his throat interrupted them.

She pulled away from Will and let out a slight gasp when she saw who had walked in on them. "Castle!" she almost screeched, but somehow—gratefully—managed to keep her voice at a more respectable level. However, she felt her cheeks warm in an embarrassed blush.

Will stared in surprise at the newcomer. "You know him, Kate?" he questioned, sliding his gaze back to her.

Kate swallowed, and inclined her head, distracted by the momentary glimpse of emotion she witnessed flash across her escort's face before he masked it. "Um… yes," she finally found her voice, though it had a slight waver to it much to her chagrin. "Will Sorenson, meet Rick Castle… my boyfriend."

"Boyfriend!?" Will raised his eyebrows in surprise and mild alarm. He glanced back at Kate, giving her an apologetic expression. "My God, Kate, I'm so sorry. If I'd known, I wouldn't have…"

"No, it's okay," Kate interjected, raising a hand up to forestall any more apologies. She tried to ignore the erratic pounding of her heart beneath her chest. The situation was so awkward, even more so considering Castle wasn't her real boyfriend, but rather just an escort she'd hired to pretend he was. "I should have told you."

Will turned to Castle, and the two stared at each other for a long beat. Castle broke the tension, offering a tight grin and extending his hand. Will reluctantly accepted, and Kate watched as the two men shook hands. There was something about the way the men stared at each other, like they'd already met. And she couldn't help but notice the masculine displays going on, which, frankly, she found absurd. She rolled her eyes and stepped further away from Will, sliding up beside Castle. She placed a hand on his shoulder, stunned when she felt his muscles relax under her gentle touch.

"We should get back to the party," Kate said.

"Yes," Castle replied in a tight, clipped tone. "We should." He glanced back at Will with what she could only describe as a very mild glare. "I guess we'll see you around, Will."

Will nodded, looking slightly shell-shocked as Kate wrapped her arm around Castle's and led him away. There was definitely something else going on here that she wasn't aware of. If she didn't know any better, she would have said that Castle looked jealous. Kate realized she liked that for some reason. And that only made her more confused than she already was.


	6. Chapter 6

**The Wedding Date**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 6**_

* * *

The Belgravia dining hall was filled with the happy chattering of all the various friends and family members in attendance. However the festive mood bypassed Kate Beckett and her companion. They stood at the bar together, having recently returned from a rather disagreeable encounter with her ex-boyfriend. Castle had talked little during their walk back to the hall, and now the silence between them had turned awkward and somewhat uncomfortable.

Kate hated it.

However, she didn't know what to say or do to change it. Her head was still spinning. Everything had happened so fast. She had not planned on seeing Will again all alone. One of the reasons she had hired Castle in the first place was to prevent that. Yet that did not change the fact it had happened. Nor had it stopped Will from kissing her, which had, frankly, been completely unexpected. But what was more unexpected, at least to her, were these flutterings in her chest every time her escort was nearby.

She snuck a glance at Castle, watching as he nursed his glass of Scotch. He had been such a pleasant surprise when she finally met him on the plane. He just seemed so calm and poised, easily rolling with her wishes when it came to this trip. A true gentleman. But then again, that was what she was paying him for. He was just being professional, she told herself. He was just doing his job. Yet… she couldn't shake the idea that there was more to it than that.

There was something magnetic about him. It was like some elemental force that couldn't be stopped. Despite hardly knowing him, she felt drawn to him. And she wouldn't soon forget that flash of jealousy—yes, she was sure that was what it was—that she had seen on his face when he had walked in on Will kissing her.

Kate heaved in a deep breath, and accepted her glass of vodka from the bartender. She gulped it down without preamble, and afterwards winced at the burn cascading down her throat.

She had not anticipated any of this. Her emotions were a wreck, and on top of everything else she was exhausted from jetlag. All she wanted to do was make it through this stupid welcoming party without stepping into any more messes. But to do that, she needed to repair the schism that had unexpectedly manifested between her and her escort.

"It was nothing," Kate blurted out in a quiet, anxious voice, feeling the need to explain, but not sure why. She cast Castle a sideways glance, watching as he stared down at his glass of Scotch.

"None of my business," he replied in a neutral tone that gave nothing away and annoyed the hell out of her. She suppressed a huff. "But… it sure looked like something," he added after beat.

Kate gritted her teeth, disliking what that statement implied. It was nothing. It _meant_ nothing. God, she wanted to scream. At Castle. At Will. At herself. Maybe at the whole damn world? She didn't know. She just wanted to scream at the insanity of it all. "Look," she said instead, trying to keep her voice calm and proud that she accomplished that. "I didn't expect this when I hired you. I certainly didn't ask for it."

"So," Castle drawled out in a low and gravelly voice after a long pregnant pause, slinging back a swig of his Scotch. "Are we changing tracks? Because if we are, then we'll need to discuss some changes in my fees."

"Uh?" Kate blinked and glanced up at him with a furrowed brow, completely baffled as to the meaning of his question. Why the hell would they need to discuss changes in fees?

Castle set his empty glass down and nodded to the bartender, requesting another. He pursed his lips and knitted his eyebrows together. "When you paid for my services the expressed goal for this job was to prove to your ex-boyfriend that you'd moved on." He paused and looked at her with an unreadable expression. "Has that change?"

"What exactly are you asking me?" she asked with a frown, twisting her torso so she could fully face him.

Castle shrugged his shoulders in an irritatingly nonchalant manner, picking up his refilled glass of Scotch. He swirled it around, his eyes staring down at the amber liquid inside. "Why am I here, Kate?"

"You know why."

"Do I?" he questioned, arching an eyebrow as he looked at her. His voice was firm and low. "Because after what I just saw outside the lavatories, I don't know. So you tell me, Kate. Why am I really here? Am I here to help you make your ex-boyfriend jealous so that he'd want to get back together with you?"

"What!?" Kate all but exclaimed. She glanced around to make sure no one had overheard before she turned her focus back to Castle. He wasn't acting like a paid professional right now. If she didn't know any better, she'd say he was acting like a jealous boyfriend. He had no right. She should be offended, or at least angry.

Yet she wasn't.

In truth, she actually kind of liked the idea of Castle being jealous. And that thought both thrilled and scared her. It was wrong. All wrong. She was paying him to pretend to be her boyfriend, emphasis on _pretend_. It wasn't supposed to become real. Kate inhaled deeply. She needed to nip this in the bud… and quick.

Shoving down her feelings, Kate inched closer to him, and inadvertently caught scent of his expensive cologne and something that was uniquely him. Closing her eyes briefly, Kate tried to ignore the tingling delight of her olfactory senses. She had to regain control of herself. It annoyed her just how overwhelmed she was feeling with everything that was going on. Narrowing her brow, she blamed it on the jetlag. Once she rested properly, Kate was certain she would feel much better. Yes, more like herself.

"Well?" Castle questioned when she took too long to respond.

"No," she answered firmly with a definitive shake of her head. "I most definitely _do not_ want to get back together with Will."

"You sure?" he asked, casting her a sideways glance, one eyebrow raised in curiosity. She could almost swear she sensed some insecurity hidden behind his cobalt blue eyes.

"Positive," Kate affirmed. It was time to be decisive, and Kate trusted her gut. "I have no desire to get back together with Will. None at all."

Okay, so some of that might be a lie. From her experience at work, she knew that nothing was ever that black and white. There was a teensy-weensy part of her that might yearn for the familiarity of Will Sorenson. However, that very small side of her was overruled and outnumbered by her rational, logical side, ready to remind her of the reasons why getting back with Will would be a bad idea. And that voice suspiciously sounded like Lanie Parish. So what she had said was the truth. She really had no desire to get back together with her ex-boyfriend.

Castle nodded. "So we stick to the plan, then?"

"Yes," she said with a small smile, hoping the incident with Will was now behind them.

His dazzling smile informed her that it was, and Kate released a sigh of relief. It almost felt like a terrible weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She glanced at her date and returned his smile with one of her own, real and genuine. There was nothing forced or fake about the joy on her face. And that surprised her. She had expected to find this party a chore, but with him by her side, Kate was actually enjoying herself.

Castle winked at her and casually draped his arm over her shoulder. She should have tensed at the unfamiliar gesture from someone who was really still just a stranger to her, but without really thinking, Kate relaxed into his touch, as if it was something completely normal. She leaned into his side as he stretched his arm up and signaled the bartender.

"You've had enough vodka," he told her, deftly removing her glass from her hand despite her mild protest. He grinned. "Trust me, Kate. You've got to try this Scotch! It's _really_ good." Castle picked up the new glass provided by the bartender and held it up, offering it to her.

Kate took it with a slight smile touching her lips. But before she could take single sip, she was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Ooh, can I have that?"

Kate blinked her eyes and jerked her head towards the speaker, seeing Madison Queller sitting on a stool on the right side of the horseshoe shaped bar. The bride-to-be gave her a wide smile and swayed slightly in her seat. Kate bobbed her head. Though, thinking her friend may have already had a little too much to drink, Kate placed the glass down on the bar just out of Maddie's reach.

Maddie made an exaggerated gesture as she stretched out to reach the glass, and when she failed to do so, she let out a little whimper that Kate had to admit was a tiny bit amusing. In the end, she took sympathy on her friend and slid the drink closer. Out of the corner of her eye, Kate noticed Castle raising his hand and ordering her a replacement drink. Catching his eye, Kate inclined her head in thanks, and then turned her attention back to her friend, chuckling softly as she watched Maddie pick the glass up with wobbly hands and down it in one big gulp.

"You know what I love about all this?" Maddie questioned, a little tipsy as she all but slammed the glass back down on the bar.

Oh, she did. Kate laughed, remembering a joke from their high school years. "There's finally a reason for the whole world to revolve around you?"

Maddie's blue eyes popped wide with excitement and glee that Kate still recalled their inside joke. "Exactly!" she exclaimed, practically bouncing on top of the barstool at she laughed joyously. "Today's my day. Tomorrow will be my day. And the day after that? My day!"

Maddie giggled happily, swaying slightly in her seat. For a moment, Kate was concerned her friend might topple over, but before such an admittedly amusing thing could happen an attractive man with dark hair and a nice suit draped over his well-built frame stepped in behind the giggling blonde. A dopey, lovesick grin covered his face as he slipped his arms around the blonde. That look alone was enough to provide Kate with this man's identity. Maddie let out an exaggerated gasp of start that drew the look of some of the other guests. But, her face alighted with joy, betraying the fact she knew whom it was.

"Hello, beautiful," said the attractive man, nibbling playfully at her ear. Oh, his voice was smooth and rich, with that upper-class English accent, yet still refreshingly down to earth.

Maddie leaned back into his embrace, and arched her neck over her shoulder to kiss her fiancé. "Perfect," she purred. "All ginny."

"Except it's Scotch," Kate laughed, finding her friend's behavior amusing and reminiscent of their senior year in high school. Maddie always was a lightweight.

Maddie hiccupped and glanced up at Kate, and then back down at her glass. "So it was," she frowned for a moment before her happy drunk mood reclaimed the reins. She turned back to her fiancé, who was still hugging her from behind, pressing soft little kisses against her neck.

"How's the future Mrs. Wentworth-Thymes?" he asked.

"Ha ha. I'm not taking your name, buster," she asserted with a chuckle and mischievous look that informed Kate this was a topic that her friend and future husband had already discussed, and at this point it had become an inside joke.

"Oh… hello," the groom said, glancing in Kate's direction from behind Maddie's shoulder. "You must be Kate Beckett?"

"Yes, that's me," Kate smiled and laughed, already liking the man. "And you must be Harrison Wentworth-Thymes."

"Guilty," the man grinned happily. "Though everyone calls me Harry."

"Harry," Kate nodded. She shifted, suddenly becoming hyperaware of the fact that Castle's arm was still casually draped over her shoulders. "This is my boyfriend, Rick Castle."

Harry and Castle exchanged a nod of greeting. But before anyone could say anything else, the bride-to-be interrupted the conversation.

"I want another," Maddie declared, holding up her empty glass. "Oh Mr. Husband-man, get me another."

"All right," Harry agreed as he turned to stand beside his fiancée at the bar, though keeping her in his embrace. "Then kiss me."

Maddie smirked in delight, pushing up to meet him in a passionate kiss. Kate pursed her lips and averted her eyes. Castle let out a low chuckle as Harry lifted Maddie off the barstool and spun her around.

"God, I'm a lucky sod!" the groom declared delightedly as he tried to twirl Maddie around in some awkward dance move, only ending up accidentally stepping on her foot.

"Ouch!"

"Sorry, love," Harry grimaced as he placed her back down on her feet.

Maddie rolled her eyes and looked toward Kate. "This is what happens when he puts off dance lessons until two days before the wedding."

Harry shrugged his shoulders and glanced towards Castle for support. "Who's ever heard of dance lessons for a wedding, honestly?"

Kate arched her neck to watched Castle suppress a smirk as he took a sip of his Scotch. "Um, just about everyone," he supplied.

"You've got to be bloody joking!" hooted Harry in mild alarm. He looked at Kate. All she could offer was a shrug of her shoulders. She'd been a bridesmaid enough times to know that most people took some form of dance lessons before a wedding, or at the very least brushed up on the basics.

Seeming to sense the groom's distress, Castle dropped his arm from around Kate and stepped over to the other side of the bar. He smiled reassuringly as he placed a friendly hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Don't worry," he said. "We'll go with you guys."

Kate's eyes went wide, and she shook her head when Castle glanced back in her direction seeking her approval. He frowned when he noticed her somewhat panicked expression. She felt confident enough in her dancing abilities to not need lessons. Though, to tell the truth, she really hadn't been planning on dancing all that much at the reception.

"Really?" Harry asked, smiling hopefully.

"Um… yeah," Castle persisted, offering Kate an apologetic look before returning his attention to the groom. "I suck too. I could use the brush up. Besides, it'll be fun." With that last part, he added a meaningful look in Kate's direction. She pursed her lips and swallowed, suppressing the groan that wanted out. Perhaps this was the universe's way of punishing her for letting Will kiss her.

Maddie clapped happily. "It's settled then." She curled her fingers around Castle's arm and pushed up on her toes to press a quick peck to his cheek. "Hmm. I don't even know you, hunky-dunky, but I love you already. Oh, Kate, just where have you been hiding this one?"

She rolled her eyes as Maddie threw her a saucy wink, reaching over to grab Castle back. He grinned charmingly and flashed Kate a look when she maneuvered his arm back around her shoulders, tucking herself comfortable into his side. She felt her cheeks flush a rosy shade of pink. Ignoring her date's piercing eyes, Kate grabbed his half-finished glass of Scotch and downed the contents. Meanwhile, Harry was staring off into space, a mild terrified look on his face as he mumbled about dance lessons.


	7. Chapter 7

**The Wedding Date**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 7**_

* * *

He watched as Kate closed her eyes, finally allowing herself to relax in the backseat of the cab after she had gave the driver the address for Bernard and Rebekah's London house. Castle smiled softly as he witnessed all the worry and tension fade from her face. God, she was beautiful. He pursed his lips and knitted his eyebrows together in a mild frown, quickly averting his eyes and forcing himself to look out the window rather than stare at her.

He needed to get control of himself. She was his client. And this was not a date. Not really. It was a job. Nothing more. He needed to remember that. Yet at the same time he could not just ignore the way his gut had twisted and his chest had tightened with envy when he had seen Kate being kissed by her ex-boyfriend. When he had accepted this job, he'd known it would be unlike any he had previously done, but he had failed to anticipate other variables. Such as his client. Kate Beckett was far more than just another pretty face. He could tell that much from what little time he'd spent with her. And there was no denying the natural attraction he felt when he was around her.

Kate released another long breath, drawing his attention. He pursed his lips and glanced over at her. She looked up at him and smiled brightly.

"All things considered, I think that went pretty well," she said.

Castle could only nod.

She shifted in her seat, scooting closer to him as the taxi spun through a roundabout. "I meant what I said, Castle," she said in a quiet voice. "I don't want to get back together with Will. That was never my intention, and it definitely wasn't the reason I hired you."

"I believe you, Kate," Castle assured, offering her a smile. Though he couldn't keep his big mouth shut. "That being said, I think he's still crazy about you."

Kate laughed. "Of course he is," she said in a slightly sardonic manner, like she was trying to convince herself it wasn't true. She sobered after a beat and stared blankly out the window as the taxi turned, taking them into a more residential part of London. "He cares more about his career than he ever has about our relationship. He made that crystal clear when he decided to accept the position in the London office without even consulting me." She took a deep breath, and glanced back at him with a somewhat watery smile. "Besides," she said, scooting closer to him and slipping her arm around his as she rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm here with my new man. He'll just have to learn to live the consequences of his choices."

Castle nodded, trying to suppress the rapid beating of his heart. No woman had ever had quite this affect on him. It was a little unnerving to say the least. The number one rule in this line of work was to not get attached. These women were clients. They weren't seeking love and affection, merely the appearance of that. However, Castle reminded himself yet again that Kate Beckett was different from all of his other clients. After a long beat, she pushed back from him, putting some distance back between them. She adjusted her dress and her eyebrows knitted together thoughtfully.

"Before you… well, I mean, I sort of got the impression that you two had met, right? At the party… before you walked in on Will kissing me?" she asked in a stammering manner. Her cheeks flushed a rosy shade of pink that was quite adorable.

"Yes," Castle confirmed after a pause. "I took a step out onto the terrace to get a breath of air and sort of bumped into him."

"I see," she nodded, frowning ever so slightly. "What did he say exactly? I mean, do you think he really wants me back, or… is it something else?"

"Honestly?" Castle shrugged, trying to come up with something neutral to say. "I don't know."

Kate nodded, staring off into space and brushing her fingers across her lips. Thinking that she was fondly remembering Will kissing her, Castle tried to ignore the tinge of jealousy that stirred in his gut. He had no right. She wasn't his. Not really. He was only pretending to be her boyfriend.

He pursed his lips and swallowed. Boy, was he in trouble.

"What does your gut say?" she asked, glancing up at him with an almost pleading look, like his words could solve all her problems.

Castle didn't think she really wanted to hear his actual thoughts on the matter, so he held his tongue, and instead offered her what he knew she needed to hear.

"You're too good for him."

XXX

Kate paid the driver as Castle went to the boot and retrieved their luggage. The Hurthshaw home was a charming period house in a row of identical houses. The front yard had a lovely little garden, with a small hedge framing it, and patches of colorful flowers arranged neatly. Bernard's sailboat sat in the driveway, and Kate smiled, fondly recalling all the times her friend stepfather had taken them out on the lake behind her father's cabin. However, her smile faded when she noticed the state the sailboat was in. It didn't look like Bernard had had opportunities to take it out recently. She didn't know why, but that made her sad.

"Shall we?" Castle inquired, his smooth voice startling her out of her thought.

She glanced back at him, and suppressed a laugh. He was practically drowning in all their luggage. She stepped forward and grabbed the handle to her roller case. "Here, let me help," she offered.

"No, I got it," he asserted, puffing his chest out.

Kate rolled her eyes and gave him a little pointed look. "No need to act all manly, Castle," she insisted. "Unlike some women, I don't find that kind of macho display attractive."

"Then be my guest," he grinned, releasing his grasp on her roller, and shrugging the strap of her carry-on bag off his shoulder.

Kate gripped the handle of her roller, and shouldered her bag, letting out a little hum of satisfaction at not having to argue the matter with Castle. She liked that about him. He didn't seem to be as insecure in his masculinity as some other men she'd dated… she froze in her tracks at the thought. She flirted her eyes back at Castle, grateful that he appeared preoccupied with his own luggage to notice her faltering steps. She heaved in a deep breath and dragged her eyes away from her ruggedly handsome escort, instead turning her gaze up towards the front porch of the Hurthshaw house.

"This way," she called, forcing her legs to move.

"Right behind you," Castle replied with a smirk, hooking the strap of his satchel bag over his shoulder and grabbing the handle of his roller luggage. He followed her up the stairs and through the unlocked door.

Kate paused in the foyer, taking in the house she remembered from her brief visits. It didn't look like things had changed that much over the years. The living room still looked elegant, with a high backed reading chair and creamed colored divan arranged perfectly around the fireplace. She noticed that her graduation portrait from the NYC Police Academy was sitting in a place of honor amongst other family photos on the mantle. She frowned. She looked so young.

"Kate, honey, is that you?" came the dramatic voice of Rebekah Queller. The woman herself appeared not a second later, gliding down the staircase, already changed out of her evening gown and in a robe covered in wild patterns of purple and green, with a neon orange sash around her waist.

Kate sucked in a quick breath to steel herself. "Yes, Becca, it's us."

"Good, good, good," Rebekah clapped her hands excitedly, her eyes darting back and forth between her and Castle, before settling on Kate. "I have you staying in Madison's room… well, it hasn't been hers in a years, so now we just use it as the guestroom."

"Okay," Kate nodded, picking her roller back up and following Maddie's mother up the stairs.

She glanced over her shoulder at Castle, watching as he trudged up behind her. He paused halfway to look at the family portraits on display, one of which included her from when she was a college freshman. Castle smirked. Kate suppressed a groan and rolled her eyes.

"Oh, look how cute you were back then!" he teased, waggling his eyebrows at her as he continued up after her.

She gave him a mild glare, before continuing her climb up the stairs. By the time they reached the second floor landing, Kate could feel the weariness in her bones. She was exhausted. Jetlag was finally hitting her hard, and she was ready to just strip out of her dress and collapse in bed.

Bernard stepped out of Maddie's room and smiled at her. "Hi, Kate!" he offered her a brief half-hug. "I just made up the bed, and laid out some towels."

"Thanks, Bernard," Kate grinned, returning his embrace.

Bernard exchanged a welcome with Castle before he stepped over to join his wife by the bannister, wrapping his arm around her waist. Rebekah laughed airily and listed into his side.

"Thanks again for having me," Castle said with a charming smile after a long beat where everyone just stood there in front of the bedroom door in an awkward silence.

Rebekah waved her hand in dismissal. "Don't be silly," she declared. "It's wonderful to finally meet you." She paused, shaking her head slightly as she glanced at Kate. "Although, technically, I didn't even know you existed because Kate doesn't bother to call or email us."

"Okay, Becca, that's enough," Bernard said, squeezing her hip.

Kate gave Bernard a grateful look. She turned to open the door into Maddie's old room, before a sudden thought had her stopping in her tracks. Her eyebrows came together in a mild frown, and she spun back around to stare questioningly at their hosts.

"Where's Rick sleeping?" she asked. Upon seeing Castle's curious expression, Kate tried to explain. "Rebekah has this rule, you see, about men and women sleeping in the same room without a ring in the picture. It drove Maddie and me crazy during coll—"

"Oh, nonsense!" interjected Rebekah with a flourish of her hand. "It's 2010, my dear! And you're a grown woman."

"What!?" Kate gasped, completely thrown at this sudden unexpected turn. She had been anticipating having the room completely to herself.

Rebekah shook her head, rolling her eyes at Kate as she turned to Castle, placing a hand on his arm. "I'm not as old fashioned as Kate seems to think." Bernard tugged on her arm, trying to help end Kate's embarrassment. "You two lovebirds enjoy yourselves," she winked knowingly, before allowing her husband to lead her back down stairs.

XXX

The guestroom was like a smaller version of a master bedroom. The bedframe held a queen size mattress, and was put together with rose-colored sheets and a comforter covered with a floral motif. Castle didn't think Madison Queller had lived in this room very much or at all, but it did have some feminine touches to it that he could only guess came from Rebekah and Bernard's daughter.

Kate preceded him into the room, dumping her luggage off to one side, next to an opened door that led into a spacious ensuite bathroom. Castle shut the door behind him as he entered the bedroom, depositing his luggage on the opposite side of the room. Straightening back up, he cocked his head and gazed across at his client, watching as she sat down on the side of the bed and scrubbed her hands up and down her face.

"Sorry about this," she said when she caught him staring.

He offered her a shrug. "Nothing to apologize for. Actually, it's good for our cover, wouldn't you agree?"

Her nose wrinkled adorably as she thought. "Yeah, I guess you're right," Kate agreed, standing up and reaching for her roller case. She hefted it up onto the bed and started to unzip it. Castle cocked his head, watching as she opened the case. She rifled through the contents, and Castle smiled when he caught sight of her underthings. Kate glared at him, before reaching underneath her unmentionables and retrieving a brown envelope with a rubber band wrapped around it.

"Here," she held it out to him. "Count it. Six thousand even."

Castle took the crinkled up envelope from her with a smile, not even bothering to open it. "I trust you."

"No," she crossed her arms over her chest. "Count it."

"Why?" Castle questioned with a furrowed brow.

Kate shrugged, and Castle tried not to get distracted by her perfect collarbones. "Because I'm compulsive and weird?"

Castle chuckled, and inclined his head, deciding to humor her. He unwrapped the rubber band from the envelope and cracked it open, pulling out a stack of hundreds. He held the dollar bills between his fingers and thumb, flipping through them.

"Six thousand, right?" Kate inquired.

"On the nose," Castle confirmed. He slipped the money back into the crinkled envelope and rewrapped the rubber band around it. "I'll tell you what, because you're so cute, I'll take care of our incidentals."

"Like that upgrade to First Class?"

"Yes," he nodded with a smile. "Like that."

Kate nodded, grabbing the bedpost with one hand while she used the other to remove her high heels. "How does it feel to get that much money just for being you?"

He raised an eyebrow, unsure from her tone if she was making fun of him or not. So he offered her a wiry smile in return. "Great, with the occasional bouts of shame," he chuckled self-deprecatingly as he retrieved his roller and pulled it up. He unzipped it and tucked the bundle of cash inside. "Now, as we discussed, this covers the weekend, but if you want to be intimate, we talk money before anything happens."

Kate stammered out a series of little coughs, and he glanced up at her with a worried expression.

"You okay?"

"That… that won't be an issue," Kate brushed off his concern with a wave of her hand. She slipped out of her last high heel, and dropped down onto her bare feet. Castle couldn't help but grin at the height difference between them. "I find the idea of sex for money morally repugnant." She nodded decisively, before her eyebrow rose with realization. "No offense."

Castle laughed. "None taken," he assured her with an easy smile as he loosened his necktie and slipped out of his jacket. "It's okay, Kate. Hell, _I've_ never paid for it. Besides, I was joking."

"So… you've never slept with any of your clients?" she asked, raising one eyebrow and looking at him with a curious expression.

"Yes, on occasion," he admitted, hating the look of disappointment that flashed across her face before she could hide it. "But it's rare. And I never charge them for it."

Kate let out a little snort. "Giving away the goods for free? Seems bad for business, if you ask me"

Castle smiled at that, glancing up at her with an amused expression, grateful for her sense of humor. "Well, as I explained over the phone, I'm not a prostitute. I'm a… companion," he decided after some thought.

"Ah, good word choice," she said. "You should've been a writer."

Castle froze, watching as she ducked into the bathroom, unknowingly leaving the door slightly opened. Shaking his head, he walked around the bed and sat down in the armchair by the bathroom door. She surprised him. But then again, she was a detective, so he shouldn't be surprised by her deductive skills. His shoulders slumped as he recalled his failed writing career.

He had been halfway through college when he'd been able to get his first novel published. The book was a mild success and the publisher wanted him to write another. But then Kyra had left him and he'd just lost his motivation. He had managed two more books, but both of them had been duds. Sighing, Castle lifted his leg and started untying the laces of his shoe.

He could hear Kate humming from inside the ensuite. Unable to resist, Castle tilted his head just enough so he could watch her through the crack in the door, enjoying her little washing ritual. Inexplicably, Kate pushed up on her tiptoes as she looked at herself in the mirror. It was a little thing, maybe the tiles were cold, but it gave her an innocence that made Castle smile even more and, despite himself, his heart quickened at the sight.

"You know, it's kind of creepy when you stare like that," Kate interrupted his little revive, flashing him a little glare.

"Sorry," he held up his hands in surrender. "It's just cute."

"What is?"

He gestured to her feet. "The way you stand on your toes."

"I do?" Kate looked down, her mouth dropping when she realized that she was in fact pushing up on her tiptoes.

"Is that an old habit from ballet class?" he asked, curious to learn more about her. "Or a lifetime of walking on eggshells?"

Kate threw him a look. "I never took ballet," she said with a saucy smirk, before kicking the door closed.

Castle shook his head and grinned, refocusing on taking his shoes off. Oh yes, he thought to himself, he was definitely in danger of breaking some of his rules.

XXX

She stared at her reflection in the mirror, trying to regain some control of her breath. Ducking her head, she stared down at her feet and noticed that she was still pushing up on her toes. Scowling, she forced herself to drop back down.

"Ballet," she grumbled under her breath as she pulled her toothpaste out of her baggy. "As if, more like wearing high heels all the time."

Kate made quick work of brushing her teeth and rinsing her face. Feeling more at ease, she spun around and opened up the door, stalking out of the ensuite. Castle was standing on the other side of the bed, opening up the wardrobe and hanging up his jacket.

"Have you ever done anything like this before?" she asked, padding over to her luggage to unpack. She flicked the top open and started pulling out her clothes.

"A weekend?"

"A wedding," Kate clarified, grabbing her underthings before Castle could turn around.

"No," Castle shook his head. "This is a first for me. Though strangely enough, I've done quite a few funerals."

Kate stopped halfway through stowing her unmentionables in the top draw of the dresser. She raised her eyebrows in surprise and arched her neck to stare back at her escort. "You're kidding?"

Castle chuckled and held up a hand to forestall any more questions. "Not the way you're thinking," he asserted. "The women wanted me there for support. You can understand that."

Kate shuddered, making a face. "I think that's disgusting." Her eyes snapped up to meet Castle's ruggedly handsome face. "Not you," she elaborated. "You're not disgusting. You're… er… lovely. Just… the idea that they'd bring an escort. I mean, a stranger who… um… didn't… who never… I mean, someone's _dead_."

"That's right," Castle nodded with a pointed look. "Now imagine facing that alone."

Dropping her eyes, Kate turned around. She knew exactly how that felt, even though technically she was never alone. She'd felt alone. She closed her eyes and leaned against the drop of the dresser, trying to suppress the swell of grief at the thought of her mother's death. Even after all these years, the grief was still too close to the surface.

Breathing in deeply, Kate found her center, and turned back around to face Castle, her control firmly back in place. "Sorry," she said. "I'm just still a little nervous. I never thought something like this would happen to me."

"This _happened_ to you?" Castle asked, his brow furrowing in confusion, clearly not getting her meaning.

"Well, _happen_ , in the sense that I picked up the phone, tracked you down, flew you here, and gave you six grand to pretend to be my boyfriend," Kate explained in a rapid series of words, removing a manila folder that contained most of their travel information and tossing it on the mattress before retrieving some blouses from her luggage. The folder bounced across the top of the comforter and some loose papers slipped out. Kate froze, and held her breath.

Catching the movement out of the corner of his eye, Castle stopped midway through unbuttoning his shirt and glanced down. The loose papers were the torn out pages from the _First Press_ magazine article Lanie had given her. The title read: _Discretion Assured—Diary of a Male Escort_.

"How did you know that was me?" Castle questioned in a somewhat defensive tone, pointing down accusatorily at the crinkled glossy paper.

Kate ducked her head down in embarrassment. "My friend had a contact within the magazine," she confessed, glancing up at him with apologetic eyes.

"So much for anonymity," Castle let out a sigh, and tugged at his shirttails, shrugging it off his shoulders.

Kate's eyes went wide as she was provided with a full view of his naked chest and on instinct, she avert her gaze, feeling her cheek warm on a blush as she ducked her head down. He wasn't buff like a body builder, but he was well toned.

"You can look," he said with a smirk. "It's part of the package."

She let out a little laugh, not sure if he was joking. Feeling her pulse quicken, Kate flirted her eyes back up just in time to see him unbuckle his belt and pull his slacks down. Her breath caught at the sight of him in nothing but his boxers, a reaction that informed her that it had been far too long since she'd seen a naked man. Far too long. Her eyes greedily milked in the sight.

Castle grinned smugly and flashed her a suggestive wink as he strolled past her, tugging off his boxers as he did. Kate couldn't help but follow his movements with her eyes, catching a brief glimpse of his naked backside before he stepped into the shower and pulled the curtain closed. Kate spun around, keeping her back to the opened door, listening to the spray of the shower, biting her lower lip as she tried not to fantasize about the hot water cascading down his broad shoulders.

"Oh… would you grab my shampoo, please?"

She immediately snapped back into reality, and blushed. "Shampoo?" Kate questioned, gazing down at his opened suitcase across from hers on the bed. She spotted a little gold and black tube with some fancy high-end label on it. "Got it!"

Without looking into the shower, Kate rushed into the ensuite bathroom, and handed him his shampoo bottle. She hurried out before he could even thank her.

Kate placed a hand over her heart and sat on the edge of the bed, studiously keeping her eyes away from the opened bathroom door. She hissed out a mild curse. She should have closed it, kept temptation out of sight. God, what was wrong with her. Shaking her head, she resolved to get better control of herself. Castle was just trying to get a rise out of her. But then, a voice in her head, that sounded suspiciously like Lanie, said, " _Who knows, Kate, it could be fun_." Biting her lower lip, Kate stood up and returned to the task of unpacking her luggage. She stopped short when she saw the torn out pages from the magazine article.

A frown touched her brow. Picking up the loose papers, Kate padded back towards the bathroom, and leaned against the doorjamb.

"Castle, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," he replied over the loud spray of water.

"The part where you were a sexual surrogate," she said, staring down at the article as she spoke. "And then started to, um… freelance. Is that how it really happened?"

Pretending to straighten things up in the bathroom, Kate moved closer to the shower, straining her ears as she waited for his response.

"Ah," Castle chuckled. "Well, the real story is that my mother was sort of a hippie. And an actress. She was insanely inappropriate around me. God, the things I saw behind stage."

Kate shook her head. "Oh my," she said, plopping down onto the closed lid of the toilet.

"Yeah," Castle said, sticking his head out from behind the curtain to glance at her before ducking back under the water. "As an adult, I needed to find some way to experience intimacy and sex, but with rules that couldn't be violated."

"Wow," gasped Kate, totally engrossed with his story.

Castle peeked his head out from behind the curtain again, smirking. "I'm just screwing with you."

Kate growled, and grabbed a towel, flinging it at him. "Jackass!"

Catching the towel, Castle laughed, and turned the shower off. "Sorry," he said. "I have a different story for every woman who asks. I look at her and figure out what she needs to hear to feel okay about being with me."

"And you thought I'd respond to the hippie actress with no boundaries?" Kate scoffed.

"Admit it," Castle said with a waggle of his eyebrows. "You were disturbed, but ultimately moved. And who knows, maybe some of it was true."

She rolled her eyes in annoyance as he ducked back behind the shower curtain. But before she could say anything else, he was yanking the curtain back open and stepping out of the shower. Kate immediately turned her back to him. She closed her eyes, and tried to control her breathing as she listened to him dry himself off with the towel she'd thrown at him.

"Okay," she released a breath and opened her eyes, staring down at the article in her hands. "This part here. You say, and I quote, 'Each woman has the exact love life she wants.' Well, to me that seems like a pretty broad generalization."

Thinking he'd had time to cover himself, Kate turned back around to face him, and was immediately met with a straight on view of his manhood. Her eyes went wide in shock—and a little awe. She brought her hand up in an attempt to cover the not so subtle drop of her jaw. She ducked her head down and closed her eyes, feeling her face grow hot and her pulse quicken. However, she couldn't restrain herself from taking another glimpse of the impressive sight, before spinning around and putting her back to him.

Kate breath stuttered, and her heart pounded beneath her breast. Her stomach clenched and she squeezed her legs together in a futile attempt to stifle the rising tide of arousal. She had to admit, his cockiness was well deserved. Heaving in a handful of breaths, Kate tried to regain some composure. _God_ , she thought, judging by her reaction, _it really has been a long time, hasn't it?_

Opening her eyes, she forced herself to stare down at the article in her shaky hand. "So… um… back to this part… do you honestly think that I want to be single and miserable? That I _want_ to feel this way about some asshole who, out of the blue, made a life changing decision without consulting me, shattering my heart?"

"Well," Castle started, and she risked a glance back at him over her shoulder, watching him wipe off his face with the towel. "First of all, it's never out of the blue. And second of all—yes."

"What!?" Kate exclaimed indignantly, turning back around to fully face him, his nakedness no longer an issue.

Castle gave her a knowing look and wrapped the towel around his waist. "When you're ready to let go, to be _unsingle_ and _unmiserable_ , you will. Until then…," he shrugged and walked out of the bathroom, leaving Kate thoroughly confused and just a little bit turned on.


	8. Chapter 8

**The Wedding Date**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 8**_

* * *

Rick Castle reclined back on the bed, pillows propped up against the headboard as he tried reading a book while Kate got ready for bed. Her hair was tied up above her head in a messy bun, and she was dressed simply in a pair of gray yoga pants and a pink jersey t-shirt. Castle couldn't help but find her choice of nightwear adorable.

She had just finished taking a long shower. After she'd gathered her things, Kate had flashed him a little glare, before sauntering into the bathroom and slamming the door behind her, making sure he knew she locked it. He had just smiled to himself and settled back into the pillows, content to spend the duration reading while she cooled off in the shower. He found it amusing just how riled up she was. He had definitely got under her skin with his little—who was he kidding?— _big_ display. Oh, she had been so flustered. He smirked to himself. And judging by the pink hue staining her cheeks before she stormed off into the ensuite bathroom, Kate probably needed to do a lot more than just cool off.

Presently, his client was grumbling quietly to herself as she used spare blankets and pillows to create a little barrier between them on the bed. He arched his eyebrow as he watched her construct her little wall. She was being so meticulous, placing a pillow by his shoulder for support, and another by his side. The mattress bounced with each addition. She rolled up a throw blanket and crammed it between them. Her nose crinkled up adorably as she worked. Actually, she was kind of cute.

"You know, if it would be easier for you I could just sleep on the floor," he offered with a grin, finding her behavior extremely humorous.

"No, no, that's okay," Kate insisted, slightly breathless, her hands hovering over the most recently placed pillow, waiting to see if it would hold. "The bed is big enough for both of us to share… just as long as you stay on your side."

Castle laughed as Kate scowled and glared at him.

"Gotcha, no funny business," he assured with a saucy wink, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "Besides, as I told you before, I'm not a prostitute."

"But you have _had_ sex with clients," she gritted out, adjusting the pillows and rolled up blankets one more time.

He pursed his lips and swallowed, inclining his head in confirmation. "On occasion, yes," he said, unable to ignore the flash of disappointment that he saw on her face when he answered. "But, as I said, it is very rare."

"Yeah, well, this isn't going to be one of those times, okay?" she huffed out, purposely averting her eyes as she pulled back the comforter and slipped under the covers on her side of the bed. She laid down on her back and stared up at the ceiling.

"Does it bother you?" he asked after a long beat.

"What?"

"That I've slept with some of my clients?"

"I… no," she stammered out, knitting her eyebrows together. But from her tone Castle was inclined to believe otherwise.

He shifted onto his side and gazed over the top of the combined blanket and pillow barrier at her passive countenance. He was tempted to call her out on her lie, but decided against it. She didn't owe him any explanation. She wasn't his girlfriend, and he wasn't her boyfriend. She was just his client. Sighing, he shifted onto his back.

"So why become a cop?" he asked after a long beat, staring up at the shadows cast up on the ceiling from the streetlamp outside the window. "I mean, most good-looking women like yourself become lawyers, not cops."

"I don't know, Castle," she drawled out, trying to act like she was ignoring him while she tried to find a comfortable position on the mattress. "You seem like a smart guy, why don't you tell me?"

Feeling bolstered by the challenge, Castle decided he would try to impress her with his ability to read people. "Well, you're not Bridge and Tunnel," he started off, arching his neck to glance over at her. "No trace of the boroughs when you talk, so that means Manhattan. That means money. Hey, you can afford me, so obviously money."

Kate rolled her eyes at that, but the little upwards quirk of her lips told him that she still found that statement a tiny bit funny.

"You went to college. Probably a pretty good one. You had options. Yeah, you had lots of options. Better options. More socially acceptable options," he nodded to himself, certain of that detail. "And yet you still chose to become a cop. That tells me something happened. Not to you, you're wounded, but you're not _that_ wounded."

He could hear her scoff at that, but he rallied on, undeterred.

"It was someone you cared about," he decided after a moment of thought. "It was someone you loved. And you probably could have lived with that, but the person responsible was never caught. And that, Detective Beckett, is why you're a cop," he concluded with a smug grin, pleased with himself.

But when silenced followed, he glanced over to see Kate looking at him with a strange expression, eyes large and with a hint of moisture. Castle felt his chest tighten and his heart drop. Shit, he'd messed up somehow. He hadn't meant to upset her. He was just trying to show off.

"Cute trick," she said in a strained tone as if she was holding back her true emotions. "But don't think you know me." She rolled over onto her side, putting her back to him. Her shoulders hunched up as if she was curling up in a protective manner.

Castle pursed his lips and swallowed, wishing he could reach across the barrier she'd constructed, both the literal and the figurative one, and comfort her. He sighed and dropped his gaze down, internally kicking himself for being such a jackass.

"Kate… I… I'm sorry."

He watched as her sides expanded as she heaved in a deep breath. When she spoke, her voice sounded almost hollow and empty.

"It's nothing, Castle. Just… just go to sleep."

XXX

Groaning and blinking her eyes against the bright sunlight filtering through the window, Kate shifted, curling further into the warmth of the blankets, burying her head into the goose-down pillow. The mattress dipped down on one side, jostling her just a bit, and she rolled over onto her back, squinting her eyes as she craned her neck over the barrier of pillows and blankets she'd constructed last night to glimpse her ruggedly handsome bedmate slipping out of bed. She blinked her eyes lazily as her gaze drifted down his well-toned back muscles until she was unabashedly staring at his ass, appreciating the way his sleep shorts hugged his magnificent posterior.

Fortunately, her escort didn't seem to notice her ogling. He stretched his arms over his head, and twisted his neck around, before stepping around the bed to use the bathroom. Kate relaxed further into the mattress, suppressing a smile as she burrowed into the cocoon of warmth, closed her eyes, and waited for him to finish with his business, expecting him to wake her when he was done. But he didn't. When he returned from the bathroom, she heard the rustle of clothing, and then the door open and closed shortly after.

She must have fallen back asleep, because the next time she opened her eyes, Kate was met with the sight of Castle quietly slipping back through the bedroom door holding a steaming cup of coffee and a saucer plate with a delicious looking pastry on it. Kate rolled onto her back and sat up, bunching the comforter up in her lap.

"Hey," Castle offered her one of his charming smiles, his eyes sparkling. "How'd you sleep?"

Kate stretched her back and suppressed a yawn as she rubbed at her eyes. "Pretty good. You?"

"Like a baby," he grinned and padded over to join her. "Here, I thought you'd like some coffee and something to eat."

She flashed him a smile of thanks, and accepted the hot mug as he set the saucer plate down on the nightstand. Kate cupped the ceramic mug in her hands and held it up to her nose, breathing in the delicious aroma. She blew across the surface before taking a quick sip of the rich brew.

Her eyebrows shot up in amazement.

Castle smirked and waggled his eyebrows. "Skim latte with two pumps of sugar-free vanilla," he stated with pride. "Rebekah was showing off their espresso machine and was kind enough to let me use it."

"Um… thanks," she offered him a polite smile, before taking another sip of her coffee, taking her time to enjoy the flavor. "How… how did you know?"

"I'm good at my job," Castle declared with a playful wink.

Kate couldn't argue with him on that. She shifted in bed, cradling the hot cup of coffee to her chest as she glanced up at him with a grateful look. Even though it was, as he said, his job, it still touched her that he would take the effort to learn her favorite coffee order. No one had ever done that before. Her heart quickened as she ducked her head down.

"I'm sorry… again, for last night," Castle asserted in a soft and sincere voice, sitting down on the edge of the mattress, careful not to jostle it too much. "I was just trying to show off. I'm sorry if I upset you."

She pursed her lips and looked up at him. It wasn't too difficult for her to tell that he was genuine in his contrition. His estimation of her had been pretty on the nose. She prided herself on her ability to conceal the dark portions of her life. But he'd seen right through her, and that frightened her. But now in the light of day, Kate recognized there was nothing malicious about it. She believed him. He was just trying to show off, which confused her. Why would he need to impress her? Her heart clenched with a possible explanation, but she tapped that feeling down and redirected her attention to her handsome escort, offering him a small smile.

"Apology accepted."

Castle returned her smile, and the way he looked at her made her stomach flutter with feelings she had long since abandoned. "I'll go back downstairs and keep Rebekah and Bernard company," he said after a long pause where they both simply just stared into each other's eyes. "You take your time and enjoy your coffee."

He placed his hand over her knee, offering a comforting squeeze, before he stood up and retreated back out of the room, leaving her to finish her morning coffee in peace. Kate leaned back against the headboard and smiled widely. Wow. Was she actually feeling happy right now? This was completely unexpected, but not unwelcomed. She gazed at the closed door, and sighed. Rick Castle really was quite something. If she didn't know he was being paid to act like her boyfriend she would think he actually cared.

She frowned and glanced down at the coffee cup still cradled in her hands. No man, not even Will, had ever taken the time to learn her favorite coffee order. Lifting her head, Kate stared back at the closed door and chewed on her bottom lip as she contemplated that thought, as well as the strange situation she found herself in. If she wasn't careful, she might just end up falling for her handsome escort. And that was the last thing she needed right now. Her life was complicated enough as it was.

XXX

Kate lounged on the blanket under the shade of the tree with Madison and the other bridesmaids, nibbling on some cheese and crackers left over from the picnic lunch. The mother of the bride had described the afternoon's activity as the young people having fun in the park. Kate did not share that sentiment. Watching a bunch of grown men trying to one-up each other in a testosterone-fueled match of cricket was not her idea of fun. Especially when her fake boyfriend and ex-boyfriend were playing on opposing sides.

She watched as Castle hit the ball and Harrison darted out into the grassy field to retrieve it. Will was shouting, urging Harrison to move faster, but the groom was unable to get the ball back in time before Castle scored. Playing the part of the supportive girlfriend, Kate clapped her hands and let out a cheer. Castle spun around in place and did a dramatic bow of thanks. That brought a genuine smile to her lips and she laughed at his antics. She never would have pegged him as an athlete, but he was doing quite well.

"Hey, Becks… you've done well for yourself," Madison commented after popping a grape into her mouth.

"Huh?" Kate shifted to glance over at her friend.

"Your man," one of the other bridesmaids elaborated with an airy giggle. "He's quite the specimen."

Kate arched her neck to look at her. Sally Perkins had been part of their clique during their senior year. She had never really been fond of the woman, but Madison and her shared more of the same interests at the time… and at present. Honestly, Kate was surprised the other brunette wasn't the maid of honor.

"Oh… um, yes, he is," Kate responded, trying to suppress the memory from the previous night when she'd seen just how impressive of a male specimen he was. Though, despite her efforts, she was unable to stifle the slight blush that stained her cheeks as she ducked her head down.

"Oh my god!" screeched Maddie, reaching over and swatting Kate's thigh excitedly. "Give us all the juicy details."

"Maddie… no," Kate frowned. "Come on, you know me… I never kiss and tell."

"Oh yeah? What about Brent Edwards?" Maddie raised an eyebrow in challenge.

"He was very hot," nodded Kate in agreement. "But that… that was different."

"True," Maddie conceded with a vigorous bob of her head, her blonde hair bouncing with the motion. "Brent was a player. Now Rick… I swear, he only has eyes for you."

Kate bit her lower lip and gazed back over at the boys playing their game. As if on cue, Castle turned and waved at her, a big smile on his face.

"See!" Maddie let out a whoop in triumph.

Kate rolled her eyes, but did not refute her friend's assessment, and grabbed a water bottle out of the cooler. She realized the same could be said for her. Despite all the hot guys roughhousing out on the field, including her ex-boyfriend, Kate found that she only really was interested in watching Castle. She unscrewed the lid of her water bottle and took a long swig, hoping to douse the heat in her cheeks and chest.

She couldn't care less what Will was doing, and that realization surprised her. It was the exact opposite of what she would have expected of herself on this trip. But there it was. Flirting her eyes across the pitch, her chest tightened at the notion that Lanie had been right about her escort. She was having fun with him, and despite her initial reluctance, she was enjoying herself. And she did like him. A lot. More than she probably should considering their situation. Sure Castle was being paid to play the role of her boyfriend, but there were times she felt his actions went above and beyond his contract with her. Despite the act, Kate was certain he liked her as well. Why else would he have made her coffee and apologized for upsetting her the previous night?

Kate bit her lower lip, and ducked her head trying to conceal her smile. Her heart thumped beneath her chest as she let all these new feelings flow through her veins. It made her feel light and happy. Ignoring the way Maddie was staring at her with a scrutinizing gaze, Kate watched Castle run out into the grass to retrieve the ball, throwing it back just in time to prevent Will from scoring. Will glowered and let out a curse. Kate smirked. _That a boy_ , she thought, giving Castle an approving nod. He flashed her a wink and a thumps up.

"So, Kate, how'd you two meet?" it was Sally that asked the question, but all the other women looked just as interested in the answer.

Kate busied herself with another swig from the water bottle, buying time as she tried to recall the backstory they had come up with. "Through a mutual friend," Kate offered with a shrug of her shoulders. "My friend Lanie set us up on a blind date. And we've been together ever since."

Maddie let out a pained groan. "Oh, come on, Becks, you've gotta give us more than that! Like… who made the first move?"

"Um…," she started to flounder under the pressure.

"I did," came a cheery voice. All the women looked up to see Castle standing there, wiping the sweat off his brow. "Kate likes playing hard to get."

Maddie smirked. "Oh yes, that sounds like her."

"You want some water?" Kate asked, glancing up at Castle.

"Yes, please," he grinned, and before she could reach back into the cooler to retrieve a water bottle for him, Castle took hers right out of her hand. He brought it immediately to his lips and gulped down almost half of it. "Thanks, honey."

"No problem, _babe_ ," she replied giving him a quick look before she snatched her water bottle back.

"Hey, Rick!" Harrison hollered from the grass field. "You're up!"

Castle hooked his thumb over his shoulder. "I better get back," he said. He nodded to the rest of the women. "Ladies." And then, after flashing Kate a wink, he jogged back to the pitch and accepted the bat from one of the groomsmen.

Maddie hummed appreciatively as the other bridesmaids giggled like a gaggle of schoolgirls. "Yep, as I said before… you've done well for yourself, Kate."


	9. Chapter 9

**The Wedding Date**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 9**_

* * *

Castle sat in the armchair in their room, brow furrowed, as he absently watched Kate scrutinize her reflection in the vanity mirror and apply some makeup for the bachelorette party she was due to attend that evening. He thought the afternoon picnic went well. And from what Kate had told him on the ride back to the Hurthshaw house, they had been successful in playing their respective roles. Though, to tell the truth, Castle really didn't find it all too difficult. Kate Beckett was an extraordinary woman, and he was more than happy to play the part of the loving boyfriend. It was easy.

Too easy.

He couldn't help himself. It just felt right. And that was a problem.

There were a number of important rules in his line of work. But there was one rule that was a must. And he was dangerously close to breaking it, if he hadn't already.

Castle was startled from his ruminations when his client smacked her lips together after applying some red lipstick. He tilted his head to the side and allowed his eyes to feast on the image of Kate Beckett in her costume. She was wearing an over-the-top sexy golf outfit—a pleated mini-skirt, a tight white oxford shirt, and a plaid vest that brought out the green in her hazel eyes. She looked hot, but judging from her expression, Castle would wager good money she felt anything but.

She caught him looking, and groaned, dropping her head into her hands. "I know," she sighed, mortified. "I look ridiculous."

"I wouldn't say that," Castle assured her with a mischievous smirk and a waggle of his eyebrows. "You look kinda cute."

Kate gave him a pointed look, clearly disbelieving his assertion.

"What's with the socks?" he queried, motioning to the knee high plaid socks that matched the vest.

"It's a golf themed bachelorette party," she offered with a shrug. "I have no idea why. As far as I know, we're just going to some pub and drinking ourselves silly."

"Drunk Beckett, now there's a sight I'd like to see," Castle asserted with a waggle of his eyebrows.

"In your dreams, Castle," Kate replied with a saucy little smirk of her own.

He grinned back at her, eyes sparkling, enjoying their repartee. He'd never had such fun bantering back and forth with someone before. Kate had a wicked fast wit, and she wasn't afraid to parry back. It was a nice change from his usual clientele. But it was different with her. Their verbal sparring was more than just friendly banter. So much more. It felt like foreplay.

"Well, then it's a good thing that my dreams generally come true," he quipped back with a wink.

Kate pulled her lower lip under her teeth and glanced at him from under her eyelashes. "Oh, you're incorrigible," she chuckled softly and shook her head, before turning back to the vanity so she could finish applying her makeup.

Castle sat back in the armchair with a smile on his face. He tried to ignore the way his heart quickened, and his chest swelled with emotions and sensations that he should definitely not be feeling.

XXX

Kate preceded him as they departed the bedroom, leaving the enticing scent of cherries in the air. Castle watched her ponytail bob as she descended down the stairs to the first floor landing. She looked absolutely adorable in her sexy golf costume, and he definitely appreciated the glimpse at her long legs thanks in part to the pleated mini-skirt. Kate arched her neck and peered into the living room. Bernard was seated in an armchair by the fireplace, reading a thick book, while Rebekah worried in front of a white board that featured an elaborate chart of information.

"I think Rebekah's trying to refine her strategy for D-Day," Kate said in an aside to Castle as they stood in the doorway, watching the woman pace.

"I heard that," Rebekah pirouetted around, smiling widely. She froze when she caught sight of Kate, and tried her best to stifle a laugh. Kate crossed her arms over her chest and tried not to glower. "Though," Rebekah continued after getting control of herself, and turning back to scrutinize the white board. "I'm sure General Eisenhower never had to master the finer points of the seating chart and centerpieces."

"I don't know about that, honey," Bernard said from his seat in the armchair by the fireplace. "Eisenhower did hold twenty-four state dinners as President. One for the Queen in 1957."

"And what do you think social secretaries are for?" Rebekah asked rhetorically with a dismissive wave of her hand and a laugh. She turned back to his white board, narrowing her eyes at the seating arrangements for the reception. "Oh, Kate, darling," she spun back around, "I forgot to tell you, that tomorrow afternoon you two lovebirds are carpooling with Mr. and Mrs. Wentworth-Thymes."

Kate gave Rebekah a mock salute as she slipped past the bride's overly dramatic mother. Castle watched the scene with amusement. He could just imagine teenage Kate doing just the same thing when she came over to the Queller house to visit Madison.

"Hey, Bernard, can we borrow your car?" she asked.

"Or we could always just take a cab," Castle offered.

"Oh no, no," Bernard waved off the idea with a shake of his head as he dug into his pocket. "You two kids are more than welcomed to it." He tossed the keys to Kate with a wink.

Rebekah clapped her hands. "Yes," she enthused in agreement. "Oh, and Kate, make sure you show Rick Regents Park. It's romantic at night."

Castle raised his eyebrows and turned towards Kate. "Sounds promising."

"I think you already had enough fun in the park," she deadpanned, though he couldn't help but notice the slight smirk tugging her lips upwards. Kate rolled her eyes at him, and held up the keys, dangling them in front of his face. "Never mind that, we're running late. We should get going."

Castle stepped back to make room for her as she stalked passed him towards the front door. He turned to follow her but was stopped when Bernard cleared his throat.

"Oh, Rick, my boy," the older man said, glancing up at him front behind his thick book. "Make sure she stays on the right side of the road."

Castle hesitated for a moment before responding. "Which is the left, of course," he said with a smirk.

Bernard grinned as his gray eyes sparkled with mirth, suppressing a laugh as he inclined his head in confirmation. "That's right."

XXX

Kate tried to concentrate as she steered Bernard's BMW on the left side of the road. It was a little unnerving. She was used to driving on the right side, but it really wasn't all that difficult, except for the fact that her companion was just sitting silently beside her in the passenger seat. If there was one thing Kate had learned about her escort in the short time she'd known him, it was that he was a talker. She pursed her lips to hide a little grin as she quickly flicked her eyes over at him before, just as quickly, returning her attention to the road ahead.

"You do know that the staring thing is creepy, right?" she asked, breaking the silence.

"Just admiring the view," Castle replied.

"Real smooth there, Casanova," Kate replied with an eye roll.

Castle shrugged and shifted to look at the window at the London shops and boutiques they drove pass. A comfortable silence fell between them again as Kate navigated the BMW through a roundabout.

"Can I ask you a question?" she asked, tightening her grip on the steering wheel as they came to a stoplight at a busy intersection.

"Always," came Castle's casual reply.

Kate nodded, casting a sideways glance in his direction. "Are you ever attracted to a client?"

Castle tilted his head to look at her. "I know you're curious about my business," he said. "But… uh… I really can't discuss other clients. It would be unprofessional."

"Is it always women?"  
Castle cocked his head towards her and raised his eyebrows in surprise. He looked at her like she was crazy. "Are you asking me if I'm gay for pay?" he inquired with a small grin, his blue eyes sparkling with amusement.

She could feel her cheeks flush as she averted her gaze, grateful for having the distraction of driving on the left side of the road to delay her response. "I don't know," she answered with a shrug. "Just wondering."

He gave her another long look, before glancing back out the side window. "Well, the answer is no," he said. "Though, I'm curious, would it bother you if I did?"

"No," Kate was quick to defend herself. She bit her lower lip and glanced at his amused expression. "Love is love."

"I couldn't agree more," Castle said with a warm smile, gazing at her with a tender expression. "I love… love."

Kate let out a little anxious laugh, and shook her head, desperately trying to ignore how the way he looked at her made her heart beat beneath her chest. He really was nothing like she'd expected. Despite being paid to act a certain way around her, Kate felt like all of their interactions were genuine. There was nothing fake about the way he looked at her. And that both amazed and scared her at the same time. Taking a deep breath, Kate concentrated on driving. At the next intersection, Kate turned the BMW to the left, crawling down a small street, which bustled with activity. Patrons of London's many pubs spilled out onto the pavement.

"So… um… what about testing?" Kate couldn't stop herself.

It took Castle a moment to realize what she was asking. He let out a light chuckle and relaxed back into his seat. "There's a guy on 81st and Madison," he explained. "You get your results in 24 hours." He paused and knitted his eyebrows together in a mild frown as he glanced over at her. "Do _you_ make all your lovers get tested before you sleep with them?"

Kate nearly choked, completely caught off guard by the question. "No," she stammered out. "Trust me, I'm careful." Not that she'd really had much opportunity lately to get that far, but he didn't need to know that. She sighed, and readjusted her hold on the steering wheel, gazing out at the street signs, trying to locate the next turn.

"I love that you're asking questions," Castle asserted with a calm tone, as if the topic didn't make him as nervous as it did her. "But do you really want to get into all this?"

"This is awkward for me," Kate admitted after a beat, activating the blinker and maneuvering into an empty slot beside the curb. She put the car in park and turned off the engine. "Talking about it makes me feel better."

Castle nodded understandingly. He reached out and placed a gentle hand on her thigh, nearly making Kate jumped with start. She glanced down at his hand resting on her skirt-clad thigh. "Hey," he spoke in soft voice, waiting for her to look up at him. "Don't stop asking questions, okay?"

She inclined her head, swallowing past a sudden lump in her throat. "Okay."

Castle smiled at her, giving her thigh a comforting squeeze, before pulling back, unbuckling his seatbelt, and climbing out of the BMW. Kate leaned back against her seat, and released a breath, trying to regain control over her quickening pulse. Her heart pounded profoundly beneath her breast. She chewed on her lower lip and watched through the windshield as Castle jogged around the hood to her side of the car. He smiled at her and like a gentleman, opened the door for her, and offered a hand to help her climb out.

"Do you do this for all the girls?" she asked as she accepted his proffered hand, playing for light humor to distract from her previous anxious questions.

He smirked and shook his head. "I swear... I don't have a signature move. And it's not always about sex, Kate. It's about having a little understanding of what people need."

"Please," she replied with a mild scoff and an eye roll. "You're like the Yoda of escorts."

"A Star Wars joke," he chuckled. "I like it."

"Yeah, well, getting you on the phone was harder than getting into college," Kate continued as if he hadn't spoken.

"No," Castle said with a shake of his head, answering her unspoken question. "I don't play games. No gimmicks. It's way more…" His voice trailed off as he glanced up at the sky in search of an appropriate word.

"Subtle?" Kate supplied with a soft smile.

Castle gave a tentative nod. "It's not about me. It's about you."

It was then that Kate noticed just how close Castle was standing to her. Almost involuntarily her eyes flicked down to his lips before she could force them back up. Thankfully, her escort seemed not to notice.

"It's hard to explain," he said, oblivious of the restrained desire boiling beneath the surface of his client.

"Then show me," blurted Kate before she could stop herself. Her eyes went wide in shock at the suggestion, but before she could retract the challenge, Castle was smiling at her with a look that made her heart do flip-flops inside her chest.

"Are you sure?" he asked, shifting to lean against the side of the car, eyeing her suspiciously. "Didn't you say you found what I do 'morally repugnant'?"

Kate urgently snatched his wrist with her hand, her mouth spreading wide, all teeth and gum in a delighted smile at his sense of humor. She honestly couldn't remember the last time a man made her smile like this.

"Oh, come on, Castle… show me," she coaxed, biting her lower lip as she gazed up at him from behind her eyelashes.

Castle pursed his lips and glanced around, checking to see if they were alone on the street. Kate furrowed her brow, thinking he was about to chicken out and decline her challenge, when suddenly he was pushing her up against the side of the car. It was a gentle movement, but firm. She let out a little startled gasp, breathing in sharply from the power of it. Such power. Attractive power.

"Close your eyes," he instructed in a smooth, hauntingly commanding voice.

Kate pursed her lips nervously, her gaze flirting around to double-check the absence of an audience. Castle moved in closer, raising a hand to cup her cheek, guiding her eyes back to his.

"Close your eyes," he repeated, softer this time, yet still very firm and commanding. His piercing gaze was hypnotizing, and Kate swallowed past a suddenly lump in her throat, feeling the power of his magnetism. His thumb gently caressed her cheek, as he once again repeated his instruction.

Kate hesitated but a moment before acquiescing, not sure why she put so much trust in this man she still barely knew. Castle leaned in closer, and her heart quickened at the feel of his warm breath against her cheek as he whispered into her ear with an almost hypnotic intensity.

"I'm not going to kiss you," he asserted. "You can relax. You're safe."

She believed him. She trusted his statements as fact. Castle palmed her cheek, slowly tilting her head to the left. Her breath grew heavy as she felt his lips barely touch her skin as they moved across the contours of her face. It was incredibly intimate. His mouth hovered over hers, but their lips never touched. They simply breathed each other in. And it was intoxicating. So primal and raw.

"I'm not going to kiss you," he repeated, voice barely above a whisper. "Trust me. All you have to do is listen to my voice."

Almost without her knowledge, Kate felt her body start to relax. Slowly, she slumped back against the car, freely giving herself over to Castle, trusting herself in his hands. His left hand came up to lightly brush up her side, leaving gooseflesh in its wake, making her quiver with anticipation.

"He's going to be so sorry he let you go," Castle murmured, his lips slowly moving across her forehead. "So… stop worrying." His left hand slowly glided up to caress the shoulder and neck. Kate unconsciously turned her head, granting him access as he dipped his head down, nuzzling his nose against the soft skin of her throat. Her mouth dropped on a silent sigh as her head lolled back against the car. "Forget the past," he breathed out against her neck, warm and enticing. "Forget the pain."

His other hand lightly grasped her hip as he leaned in closer. Her lungs filled with air, and she felt his chest hovering over hers. Her breath stuttered as his hand gently squeezed her waist. He brushed his nose against her pulse point, his breath heavy and sensual.

"And remember," he crooned quietly, "what an _extraordinary_ woman you truly are." His fingertips danced up the column of her throat, brushing along her chin, tilting her head just enough to allow their lips to barely touch once again. "When you do, he'll see you the way I see you, and, in that moment, he'll finally understand what he lost."

He ran his hand down her cheek, the pad of his thumb tenderly brushing over her beauty mark. "But by then, the amazing thing is… you won't care," Castle finished. He gently coaxed her chin up towards him, and smoothed his palm down her throat and shoulder, before he released her and stepped back.

Kate let out a shuddering breath, her insides feeling all warm and wanting. Gradually, she flirted her eyes open to stare up at Castle, amazed and incredibly aroused. She felt a little off balance. Never in her life had she felt more wanted or desired than in that moment. Castle's piercing blue eyes seemed to stare directly into her soul, making her feel naked in front of him. Yet instead of feeling vulnerable or embarrassed, she felt powerful and more alive than she'd ever felt before. The feeling was intoxicating, like nothing she'd ever experienced.

"Holy crap," Kate gasped out, still a little dazed as she worked at regaining her breath and calming down her pulsing heart. "You're worth every penny."

Castle offered her a half smile, his eyes alight with an affectionate tint that straddled some invisible line that was not to be crossed, but Kate didn't care. She closed her eyes again, and relaxed against the side of the BMW as Castle rolled back away form her to further the distance between them.

"You should get going," he said in soft voice, still smooth and suave. "Maddie is probably wondering where you are."

"Yeah," she sighed out, still thrown off by aroused she was. "Yeah. You're right."

She tentatively pushed herself off from the side of the car and took two little steps forward, before faltering slightly. She placed a hand over her abdomen as she took a moment to catch her balance. God… it was almost like she'd just had the best sex in her entire life. She shook her head, both confused and deliriously thrilled at the notion. Castle reached out and placed a gentle hand on her arm to steady her.

"Easy there," he said in a quietly amused voice.

"Yeah, yeah," she huffed out, trying to lighten the mood with a laugh while she dug the keys to the BMW out of her purse and tossing them to him. "Okay, Yoda. I'm going."

Balance restored, Kate arched her neck and glanced at Castle before she dragged her eyes away from his. Wearing an almost dopey look of pleasure, she subtly attempted to adjust her underwear, and stumbled towards the pub as a sly smile crept across her face. She had never been more pleased that Lanie had been right about this trip helping her get out of the doldrums of her workaholic lifestyle and nonexistent personal life.

Yes. It was just what she needed.

And, perhaps, so was Rick Castle.


	10. Chapter 10

**The Wedding Date**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 10**_

* * *

Kate leaned against the scratched and scuffed mahogany wood of the counter, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for the bartender to fill a tray with shots. She glanced around at the other women, all dressed in the same ridiculous sexy golf outfits, varying in colors. The bride-to-be was ensconced in the middle of the group, outfitted in a hot pink ensemble with the added sparkling tiara resting on top her blonde tresses.

"Here you go," the twenty-something barkeep said with a flirty smile.

"Thanks," Kate returned with a polite smile, steadfastly ignoring his playful wink as she carefully picked up the tray and carried it over to their party's booth. "Hey, everyone! Round one is here!"

The gaggle of women let out a cheer as Kate passed out the shots.

"All right, ladies," she announced. "Let's get this party started."

Sally Perkins let out a loud whoop, and everyone giggled, except for Kate. She took a calm breath, and forced out a bright smile. To be honest, Kate wasn't completely there. She was still thinking about Castle's little performance, and the way he'd made her all hot and bothered with just his voice and a handful of targeted touches. God, he was good. Shaking her head, Kate brought herself back to the present. She looked at the beaming bride-to-be and smiled, genuinely happy for her friend.

Kate held up her shot glass. "To Madison!" she declared.

A chorus of women echoed her toast, and Maddie let out a squeal of excitement.

"To me!" Maddie exclaimed, all bubbly and giggling, loving the attention. "Bottoms up, girls!"

Kate hesitated just a moment, before throwing her head back and swallowing down the clear liquid in a single gulp, grimacing at the burn as it slid down her throat. Maybe this party could help her forget about the ruggedly handsome man who had made her weak in the knees and highly aroused no more than fifteen minutes prior.

"Ladies," the forty-something manager approached them with a polite smile, gesturing towards a set of swinging doors in the back of the pub. "The private room is ready for you now."

"Great!" Maddie enthused, bouncing out of her seat and already looking a bit tipsy. Kate eyed her worryingly, wondering if perhaps her friend had had some drinks before coming to the pub.

Just as the whole group moved to follow the tittering bride-to-be, Castle walked into the pub. Kate inhaled a sharp breath. What was he doing here? He paused in the entranceway, standing tall as he scanned the pub's interior until he spotted her. Once he did, his eyes lit up, and he strode over with a purposeful gait. Kate glanced back at the rest of the women, bewildered and astonished that they had all stop to watch. Sally Perkins took the lead in snooping—no surprise there.

"Hey, Kate," he smiled smoothly. "I thought you might need this."

"Huh?" Kate jerked back to him, only just noticing he was holding out her purse.

"You accidently left it on top of the car," he explained.

"Oh," she exhaled, reaching forward and taking her purse from him. She offered him a shy smile. "Thanks." Her eyes unconsciously drop down to his lips before flicking back up to his eyes. His warm smile in reply made the beat of her heart quicken. She felt silly, like she was a schoolgirl with her first crush. But the truth of the matter was that Kate hadn't felt this way about someone in a long while. And it was a refreshing change.

"Hi, Rick," Maddie giggled.

Hearing her friend's voice snapped Kate back to the present. She glanced around and raised her eyebrows in surprise. She couldn't help but notice that the group of women had not so subtly clustered around Castle.

"Why don't you stay?" Maddie suggested with a little giggle and a wink in Kate's direction. "Have a fiery drink with us?" Kate shot her friend a look, but Maddie pointedly ignored her, focusing on Castle.

His expression remained neutral as he glanced towards Kate for direction. "I don't know…," Castle said at length. "Isn't this supposed to be a girl's only function?"

"Oh, come on, stay," encouraged Sally, wasting no time in shoving a drink into Castle's hand. She smiled flirtatiously, batting her eyelashes. "Just one drink."

Castle looked to Kate. She offered him a shrug. There really wasn't much they could do if the bride-to-be wanted him to share a drink with them. It was her night, and Kate didn't want to upset it. Castle's gaze wandered over her features, and it was like he was reading her mind. He gave her an imperceptible nod before he slid behind what she'd come to think of as the mask of his escort persona.

"All right, ladies," he grinned charmingly, glancing around at the cluster of women. "This round is on me!"

XXX

Thirty minutes later and Castle was still there, surrounded by the gaggle of bubbly women and completely at ease with the situation. Kate stood off to the side, watching as he smiled and charmed, appearing very much the professional she'd hired. Except it was all fake. His smile. His laugh. It was all fake. It was all superficial. It was not the real him. It was not the Rick Castle that she had started to know. When he was interacting with her, he seemed genuine, sincere… real. But here, at the bachelorette party, Kate didn't recognize him. And of course, he noticed her watching him. Their eyes locked for a long beat, and for a moment Kate forgot about everyone else. It was just him and her. His eyes bore into hers with such an intensity Kate had to remind herself to breathe. He flashed her a mischievous wink and the spell was broken.

Breathing in deeply, Kate turned back to the private bar and snatch up a shot glass of a clear liquid she could only assume was vodka. She brought it her lips and swallowed it down in one gulp, savoring the burn as it glided down her throat. When she finished, she turned to find Maddie standing beside her, doing the exact same thing.

"Sorry," she coughed out, gesturing vaguely in Castle's direction, women clustered around him as he talked animatedly with them. Oh, he really was a smooth operator. "I honestly didn't think he'd stay for this long."

"Not your fault," Maddie said with a reassuring smile, letting out a satisfying hiss as she gulped down her own shot of vodka. "I invited him to stay."

Sally stumbled between them, her high ponytail bouncing as she wobbled a bit against the counter. "Hey," she wedged herself between them, patting Kate on the shoulder and nudging Maddie with her elbow. She leaned towards Maddie. "Can you believe Kate gets to sleep with this guy?"

Maddie ignored her, though her brow did wrinkle in a slight frown of annoyance.

Oblivious, Sally redirected her attention to Kate. "Honestly, you should send God a bottle of wine or a muffin basket." Sally clinked her shot glass against Kate's and laughed. The woman was completely smashed.

Kate smiled good-naturedly, though felt slightly uncomfortable with the brunette's tipsy behavior. She glanced towards Maddie with an apologetic expression, before turning back around to the bar and picking up two shot glasses. Steeling herself with a quick breath, she plastered a cheery smile onto her face and wadded out into the sea of women, intent on finding a way to return the evening's focus back to where it belonged—on the bride-to-be.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry," Kate squeezed past the gaggle of women until she was standing next to her man. "Girls only!"

She frowned and glared at those who had been brazen enough to fawn so openly at another woman's boyfriend. She gave a red-haired woman a death glare when she noticed the woman's hand wandering southward along Castle's back. He let out a gasp at the surprised pinch, and turned around to look upon the grinning and giggling offender.

"Kate," he spoke in a low voice, his eyes locking with hers. "My savior."

"Shut it," she snapped back with a little growl, practically shoving the shot glass into his hand. "Must feel great being paid just to be you."

Castle gazed at her with a suave smile and sparkling eyes. "Who said I'm being me?"

"Yeah, well, aren't you late?" Kate asked, giving him a pointed look.

"Ah, yes," Castle easily caught the hint, and inclined his head, finally seeming to remember having been invited to Harry's stag party. He turned back to the cluster of inebriated women. "Ladies, thank you for granting me this rare glimpse into a timeless female ritual." He raised his glass in the air, looking at Kate for support. She did the same, and the rest followed, even Maddie by the bar with Sally. "To the husbands who won you, the losers who lost you, and to the lucky bastards who have yet to meet you."

All the women cheered, and threw back their drinks. Everyone laughed and drank, and laughed some more.

"And to the cock in the hen house," Maddie snickered, causing the other women to hoot and holler. Some even through Castle some very inappropriate and suggestive looks.

Kate pursed her lips and shot quick steely glares at the other women, before possessively grabbing hold of Castle's shoulders and directing him out of the group clustered around him. She walked him over to the private door that led back to the main pub, and stopped, looking back at the other women, who were all watching with barely contained envious gazes. Feeling emboldened by the alcohol, and a tad bit territorial, Kate acted on impulse.

She grabbed Castle's face between her hands and pulled him down for a hot and heated kiss, pressing herself against his delightfully solid build as his strong arms wrapped around her slim waist, tugging her closer. Her insides buzzed with the thrill of it, and her heart exploded with excitement. She let out a little gasp in surprise, and he took advantage of her momentary lapse, adding some tongue and deepening the kiss. Her entire being came alive with sensations. Kate closed her eyes and melted in his embrace, canting into him as she reveled in the raw power of their attraction.

The room erupted in cheer and hoots, and Kate stumbled back away from Castle, shocked at her own actions. She turned to numbly gaze back at the bar, seeing her friends applauding the show. Her cheeks warmed on a blush, and she ducked her head down, embarrassed. Castle grinned, and ran a soothing hand up and down her back in an attempt to calm her. But it had the opposite effect. His gentle and tender touch ignited the furnace of desire and carnal need that had been dormant for longer than she would ever care to admit.

"I'll see you later," he murmured, his voice soft and happy. He dipped his head down and pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek. And with a final wave at the partying girls, Castle made his exit, ducking down through the door, leaving a stunned Kate in his wake.

Shaking her head, Kate weaved her way back through the revelers, and situated herself back at the bar, beside her friend. Maddie was staring at her with a large grin on her face.

"Damn, Kate, how do you keep it so fresh, like it's all so brand new?" Maddie asked.

Kate blinked her eyes, snapping back to reality. She glanced back at the door where Castle had departed and dragged her eyes back to her expectant friend. All she could offer up was a shrug. Sally laughed, and nudged her shoulder from behind.

"I can't believe you met him first," she said with a feigned pout. "It's so depressing."

Maddie looked amused, and Kate just shrugged again.

"Just lucky, I guess," she said with a mild grin, still stunned that she'd just kissed Castle. She raised her hand to her mouth, brushing her fingertips across her still tingling lips. It was the best first kiss she'd ever experienced. She frowned. But was it real? Shaking such thoughts away, Kate reached down to the bar and grabbed another shot glass. "But I'm not the only one." Turning to Maddie, Kate gave her friend a smile. "To Maddie, who's the luckiest one here. She's found her prince charming, and she's getting married! To Maddie!"

"To Maddie!" echoed everyone.

"To me!" cheered Maddie, wiggling with excitement and happiness.

XXX

Castle walked through the door to the raucous sounds of partying. The first glimpse he caught when he stepped into the flat was about a dozen men downing shot glasses. He saw Will Sorenson in the middle of the pack, refilling their glasses with tequila. Pausing, he watched as the group raised their drinks again, and a chorus of 'To Harry!' abounds around the room once again. Castle smirked, and casually removed his suit coat, tossing it over the back of the sofa with the rest of the coats. He stretched his neck, and approached the group of men, trying not to feel like the chaperone at a frat party.

"Rick, you made it!" enthused the groom, his hair ruffled and eyes blurry. He greeted Castle with a bear hug that nearly took the air right out of his lungs.

Before he could respond, Harry was stumbling off towards a makeshift bar, and a guy Castle recognized from the cricket game that afternoon was shoving a shot glass into his hand. He grinned and nodded to the rest of the group, following suit as they all cheered congratulations to Harry on his upcoming nuptials—though the felicitations were much more vulgarly put than that—and downed their drinks. Music was blasting from the speakers, some English punk-rock group that Castle had never heard of. He smiled and laughed, doing his best to fit in, but really, this wasn't his scene. He felt oddly out of place. To tell the truth, he'd rather still be with Kate.

Castle wandered away from the main group, locating a table with crackers, cheese, meat-cuts, and other such edibles. There was a punch bowl (no doubt spiked), and an ice sculptor of a nude woman. Castle gazed at the melting breasts and pursed his lips to suppress a laugh. He grabbed a handful of peanuts and munched on them as he observed the shenanigans of Harry's friends. He turned back to the buffet, and snatched up a juicy red strawberry.

It was then that he spotted Will Sorenson staring at him with barely restrained animosity. Castle met the man's gaze, but Kate Beckett's former boyfriend was forced to break their staring contest when the groom wobbled over to him.

Castle discreetly maneuvered himself closer to the pair, stopping by a group of rambunctious guys playing darts. He perked up his ears, straining to listen over the copious noise of the party.

"What's _his_ problem?" Will was saying, his voice dripping with resentment and annoyance. The man was practically seething. Castle found it highly amusing.

"What?" Harry fumbled out, halfway through a swig of beer.

"Rick," Will sneered. "There's something about him that's just a bit odd."

"Other than, he's shagging your ex-girlfriend?" Harry chortled loudly, tipping a bit as the alcohol got the better of him. Will steadied his friend with a hand on his arm. Harry looked at him with an amused expression.

"No, that's not it," Will soured, glowering as he stared in Castle's direction again.

"Whatever you say, buddy," Harry said with a shake of his head.

Will took a swig of his beer and sighed. A crooked smile formed on his face as his eyes drifted off into thought. "I remember this one time we went hiking in the Adirondacks," he chuckled lightly. "Kate… well, she tripped and somehow landed in a bed of nettles. Stung her pretty bad. Plus side was I got to spend that night rubbing lotion all over her ass." He grinned wolfishly. "Let's just say we rocked the tent that night."

"Well, at least you have fond memories," Harry consoled, clinking their bottles together.

Will slumped down in the barstool. "I didn't deserve her back then," he said with a sigh, gazing thoughtful down at his beer bottle, picking at the label.

"And you do now?" Harry asked after a hiccup, brow furrowed.

Will shrugged his shoulders, looking conflicted and confused. "Maybe I hate women."

Castle couldn't resist, and he chose that moment to step into the conversation. He slipped past the dart throwers and saddled up alongside the groom and best man at the makeshift bar. "All women or just the two-legged ones who steal your money, screw your friends, and vacuum during the Super Bowl?"

Will laughed drunkenly, completely unaware that Castle was in fact making fun of him.

Harry turned to Castle with a lopsided smile. "Will was just reminiscing about your girlfriend's ass."

Castle laughed good-naturedly, trying to play off being the bigger man. But he couldn't help but twist the knife, if just a bit. There was just something about the history between Kate and Will that made Castle want to rub the other man's nose in the fictional relationship he had with Kate. "Did she do her yoga exercises in the nude back than, or is that just with me?"

Will narrowed his eyes at Castle. "No," he grunted out.

The smug smirk that overtook Castle's face was shameless, and he felt a little guilty over torturing the man, but not that much. From what little he'd observed, Will Sorenson was an asshole and never truly deserved a woman as extraordinary as Kate Beckett in the first place. He was just about to open his mouth to twist the knife even further with a fictional tale that would one-up the one Will told about the hike in the Adirondacks when the beat of the music changed, and a door in the back of the room flew open, revealing a scantly clad woman dressed as a naughty bobby.

Will seized upon the moment, and clotheslined in on Harry in the middle of a group of his pals at the table, munching on pretzels. He grabbed Harry by the shoulders and dragged him towards a lone chair directly in front of the seductively dancing woman. Castle stood back and took a sip from his drink as a chorus of guy-howls and cheers rebounded throughout the flat, content with just observing the show.


	11. Chapter 11

_***A/N: WARNING: The last part of this chapter straddles the border between T and M, but I feel like it's more of a very strong T than M, so I'm not changing the overall rating.**_

* * *

 **The Wedding Date**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 11**_

* * *

The music was vibrating off the walls and the bodies were gyrating as the women bounced on the dance floor, all clustered around the evening's entertainment. About twenty minutes after Castle made his departure, the door had opened and a uniformed officer entered. At first Kate was worried that they'd been making too much noise, but then she noticed that the officer's utility belt was all wrong. She quickly downed her glass and subtly drifted further away from the rest of the revelers. Sally Perkins made the big announcement and dragged Maddie to the center of the group.

Soon the uniformed officer was stripping out of his clothes until he was in nothing but a black thong that left little to the imagination. The man was clearly well endowed, much to the delight of the gaggle of smashed women. Kate watched as the stripper put on a display in front of the bride-to-be, giving all the women quite a show. Kate pursed her lips and leaned back against the bar, closing her eyes and thinking of another man with an equally—if not more—impressive set of man parts.

She licked her lips; just thinking of him and the way he made her feel had Kate wishing she wasn't there, but with him instead, somewhere alone and private where she could just pounce him and have her way with him, or better yet, let him have his way with her. She wanted to be ravished, loved. And she was beginning to suspect that Castle could give her that. But it was more than just physical. Kate was sure that there was more to it than that. Just talking with him, having him listen to what she said, made her feel wanted and accepted. Even though he was being paid, Kate was absolutely certain Rick Castle was genuinely interested in and cared about her.

Yes. She thought. He wanted her.

That kiss had really been something. It made her want to throw caution to the wind and follow the advice of her best friend back in New York City. _Who knows, Kate, it could be fun,_ Lanie had said _._ God, and how she wanted to have fun. She really did. And she wanted to have fun with Rick Castle.

Kate down another shot of vodka, and let out a hiss as it burned down her throat. She blinked her eyes and stared out numbly at the debauchery occurring on the dance floor. Maddie had managed to extract herself from the proceedings, and was wobbling over to the bar to join her. Kate got the barkeep to pour a flute of champagne for the bride-to-be. Maddie accepted it with a dopey grin and gulped it down in one swallow.

"What a party!" she declared in a giggly, tipsy manner that had Kate grinning amusingly.

"It certainly is," Kate replied watching her friend sway for a moment before properly locating the cushion on the stool. She reached out to help steady her, and Maddie inclined her head in thanks.

Maddie stared off into the party haze for a long beat until she burst into tears, startling Kate. She glanced around, frowning when she noticed everyone else seemed oblivious to the bride-to-be's distraught mood. Kate wrapped an arm around the blonde and did her best to comfort her. It was difficult, since she herself had consumed more than her share of vodka and champagne, and the occasional shot of tequila. Oh, she was definitely going to pay for this in the morning.

"Are you okay?" Kate slurred out, hiccupping slightly, as she gazed down at her friend.

Maddie sniffled and offered a shake of her head, carding her fingers through the tangled mass of blonde hair around her face. "I don't think I can go through with this," she declared, staring out at the dance floor and the lewd frivolities going on around the stripper.

"Oh," Kate said, dragging her eyes away from the man's glistening chiseled chest. "I don't think they'd mind. Sally seems more than happy to take your—"

"No," Maddie shook her head, cutting her off. "The wedding." She whimpered, and dropped her head in shame. "I am so, so bad! I don't think I should be allowed to get married."

Kate stood there in stunned silence, not entirely sure how to respond to such a declaration. She was completely blindsided. "What are you talking about?" she questioned, wrinkling her brow in concern.

But as she waited for an answer, the darkness that had seemed to have fallen over Maddie lifted, and the bride popped out of it, none the worse of wear. Maddie grabbed another flute of champagne and took a long sip, smacking her lips together as she teetered on the edge of the barstool, beaming like a maniac.

"I'm so lucky," she told Kate, her head tilting slightly as she looked up at her. "Harry is so good to me. He—" she hiccupped "—He loves me so much. And I… I love him. God… I love him."

Kate smiled, pleased that the bubbly happiness was back, but still confused over where the shame and self-doubt had come from. Just then there came delighted hoots and screams from the dance floor. Kate let out a gasp when she saw what was happening. Maddie swayed in her seat to see what was going on. She let out a loud chortle, and raised her glass in cheer.

"You go, girl!" she hollered. And the room erupted into a chorus of the same after her toast.

Maddie turned back and smirked at Kate, seeing her disapproving expression.

"Oh, you shouldn't judge, Kate," she laughed as they watched a giggling Sally Perkins lead the half-naked man into the privacy of the bathroom. "She's been single for a long time. She's not like us. We're lucky. We both have sexy studs waiting at home to satisfy our every want and need. She doesn't."

"Um… yeah," Kate stammered out, taking a quick sip from a freshly filled flute of champagne. "You… you're… you're absolutely right."

XXX

The cool night air was refreshing. Castle breathed in deeply, his olfactory senses thanking him very much for the clean air. Will Sorenson's London flat had become a bit stuffy, and oppressively damp, smelling of stale beer and sweat, too full of drunk, horny men ogling the scantily clad stripper prancing around the room. He helped Harry out of the BMW, and made sure the man was steady enough to stand before focusing on locking the car. When he turned around, he found the groom wasn't where he'd left him. Glancing up and down the residential street, Castle spotted the man stumbling towards his house. Harry navigated the pavement like it was made of water.

Castle rushed forward to assist, not wanting to see the man trip and fall on his face two days before his wedding. He ducked his head and propped the other man up with his shoulder.

"You're okay. You got it," Castle assured as they maneuvered the stone steps that led up to the front door.

"What's wrong with Will?" Harry slurred out. "As if I'd sleep with a stripper… I'm about to get married!"

Harry wobbled for a long beat, but eventually was able to stabilize and find his balance. Castle dug through the man's pockets, and found the house keys. The other man stood there, swaying slightly, scrubbing his hands over his face, and combing his fingers through his unruly brown hair.

"Just because some slag's been paid for, doesn't mean you've got to… you know," Harry slurred out, wavering slightly as he leaned against the side of his house. His head dropped down. "I think I'm going to be sick."

Castle patted the man's back reassuringly. "It's been my experience that the people who hire a prostitute, need a prostitute." He paused, and unlocked the front door for the intoxicated man. Harry looked at him expectantly. "You did the right thing."

Harry blinked, still somewhat out of it.

"I think I love you, mate," he said, slumping against Castle's side as he took the man's weight again, helping him through the threshold. "How do you know so much about… so much?"

Castle paused for a long beat, hesitating for a moment, before answering with a completely straight face. "I'm a hooker."

Harry burst out laughing, and sloppily patted him on the shoulder, before he wobbled into his house, leaving a slightly befuddled Castle in his wake.

XXX

Okay. Kate was definitely drunk. She had had one too many shots of tequila after witnessing Sally Perkins drag that male stripper—who looked more than willing, to be honest—into the bathroom at the pub. It wasn't just that, though. It was Maddie's comments afterwards that got to her. _We both have sexy studs waiting at home_. Did they? Maddie for sure, but Kate didn't. Not really. Her _sexy stud_ was a paid companion, an escort. He was there to play the boyfriend, not actually be the boyfriend and fulfill her every want and desire. So she got herself plastered a lot more than she'd intended.

But now the cab was dropping them off at the Hurthshaw house, and the cool, crisp night air had her sobering somewhat. She glanced down at her almost bulging purse, and bit her lower lip. Why had she found it necessary to stop by as many ATMs as possible on the way back? What did she need with all the cash? _If you want to be intimate, we talk money before anything happens_. Oh yeah, that's why.

Madison was climbing out of the cab after asking the driver to wait, and stumbled on her feet. Kate turned around to catch her friend, and the two giggled softly, bumping heads as they swayed down the liquid sidewalk.

"It was a great party," Maddie said. "Thank you."

She reached out and hugged Kate, catching her completely off guard. Kate wasn't expecting the embrace and it was kind of awkward, at least for her. She stood there for a moment, not sure what to do, until she succumbed to the pull of it, and wrapped her arms around her friend, squeezing the blonde.

"Do you want to come in for a minute?" she asked when they pulled away. "We could talk about—"

"When I freaked out at the pub?" Maddie questioned, sounding almost sober. To be honest, Kate was surprised she even remembered the little incident. "That was nothing," she hiccupped with a shake of her head. "Just nerves. Don't worry about it."

Kate nodded, though not entirely convinced. The detective in her was telling her that something else was going on. But her mind was so muddled with alcohol she really wasn't able to entirely process everything yet.

"But I do," she asserted, squeezing Maddie's shoulders in a reassuring and comforting manner. "I will. You're my friend."

With a post-Bacardi 151 suddenness, Maddie's soft features contorted with shame. She recoiled away from Kate, angry tears running down her pretty face.

"God, Kate! Please. Don't be nice to me!" she all but screeched. "I can take anything right now, but you being nice to me."

Confused, Kate raised her hands up in supplication. "What? Why? What do you mean?" she asked, baffled by her friend's sudden mood change.

Maddie dropped her head and averted her eyes. "I… I should get going."

Kate gave a nod, watching in complete bafflement as her friend swayed back towards the waiting cab. But she couldn't leave it like that. Blinking her eyes, she spun around and called after her.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Maddie hesitated before the opened back door of the cab, turning her head back to look at her. She offered a reassuring smile that Kate strongly suspected was forced.

"I'm fine," Maddie said. "Promise."

And then she was ducking down inside the cab, and shutting the door behind her. Kate stood there for a moment, and watched as the cab sped off into the night, a little confused, and a little drunk. Her mind kept replaying the heated kiss she'd shared with her escort, along with Maddie's assertion that they both had sexy studs waiting to satisfy their every want and need. She chewed on her bottom lip, liking the sound of that. She had wants and needs that required satisfying. And he might not entirely be hers, but he sort of was. Letting out a sigh—and a hiccup—Kate scrubbed a hand down her face. She turned around and stumbled drunkenly up the front steps, allowing her inebriated brain to make a decision she could regret in the morning, though hoped she wouldn't.

XXX

He knew it was her before he even opened his eyes. Blinking in the darkness of the bedroom, Castle wiggled his fingers against the soft fabric of the comforter before rolling over to confirm his initial thoughts. Kate Beckett stood by his side of the bed, staring down at him with large, glassy eyes. He furrowed his brow as he slowly pushed the covers off and sat up, worried at her blank expression.

"You okay?" he asked.

She didn't answer him. Instead, Kate bent down and grabbed a hold of his hand, tugging him up to his feet. He stared at her in bewilderment, but was unable to prevent himself from following her as she led him out of the bedroom and down the stairs. It was almost like she was sleepwalking, or in some sort of trance. He shivered as they stepped out of the house and onto the front steps. He was in nothing but his boxers. The cold night air brought a chill to his exposed skin, causing gooseflesh to materialize along his arms and legs. He looked at Kate questioningly, but she placed a single finger on his lips to silence him.

Kate leaned into him, rubbing her hands up and down his bare shoulders and arms, warming his skin. He closed his eyes, and breathed heavily, desperately trying to maintain some semblance of control. It was like a role reversal from earlier this evening. She was doing to him what he'd done to her. He wondered if he was dreaming. Because this was just the sort of dream he'd expect to have after that amazing kiss in the pub.

Exhaling slowly, Castle opened his eyes and looked down at Kate. Her eyebrows were knitted together in concentration as she stared straight ahead, purposefully avoiding his questioning eyes. Her hands mapped the expanse of his chest. Her fingertips traced every curve and contour of his muscles. Her hazel eyes flicked up to his.

She offered him a soft smile, and then took his hand in hers, their fingers slowly interlacing as if they'd always been. Kate scooted back from him and tugged him along, down the front steps and towards the disused sailboat that sat in the driveway in front of the Hurthshaw house. She arched her neck to look back at him, biting her lower lip. There was something different about her, and it wasn't the obvious alcohol in her system. She looked… unburdened and free.

Kate released his hand when they reached the sailboat. She offered him a demure smile, before reaching up and grabbing hold of one of the railings to the wooden ladder attached to the side of the boat. She swayed her hips as she climbed up, putting on a bit of a display. Castle stood back, folding his arms over his chest to keep away the chill of the night air, and enjoyed the show. He milked in the sight of her silky long legs and the way her hips swayed enticingly as she climbed the ladder.

Reaching the top, Kate spun around, and perched on the edge. She glanced down at him with a heated gaze, swinging her legs seductively. Castle could not help but smile at the strangeness of it all. This was not the Kate Beckett he knew. He didn't know what to think. But she was cute, so he went along. She wiggled back just a bit too much and awkwardly fell backwards into the boat. Castle hurried up after her, concerned. A peal of drunken laughter flowed out of her mouth. He found her lying there, looking very much inebriated. He wondered how much she'd had to drink at the bachelorette party.

Castle offered her a hand, and she accepted it with a beaming smile. Hoisting her up, Kate fell into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his torso and burying her nose into his neck. He could feel her smile against his shoulder as she breathed him in.

"You smell so good," she hummed out in approval.

Castle dipped his head down and closed his eyes, nuzzling his nose into the top of her head and breathing in her scent.

"And you smell like cherries," he declared in a soft voice.

Kate let out a little chuckle at that, pulling back to look up at him with sparkling eyes, looking so happy and free. "Come," she said, grabbing his hand and pulling him with her as she stepped down the little steps that led to the onboard cabin.

Castle followed her without question. He couldn't explain it, but he was feeling something he hadn't felt in a long time… a very long time. As he descended below deck, the anticipation started to tingle up his spine. The cabin was small, but comfortable. There were curved shelves along one side, carrying little knickknacks and books. Along the other side was a small bed, a colorful quilt covering the mattress and pillows. Kate slid her arm around his waist, pressing up against his side as she spun them around, trading places. He looked down at her, curious as to the purpose for this little trip out of the house.

She offered him a soft shy smile, ducking her head down in a bashful manner that he found uncharacteristic for her, before she flirted her eyes back up to his. Castle pursed his lips and swallowed hard at what he saw reflecting out of her eyes. Kate bit her lower lip and placed her hands on his shoulder, gently pushing him down until he was seated on the edge of the little bed. Castle's heart pumped wildly in his chest, but his surface remained calm. He wasn't going to make a move, no matter how much he wanted to. This was Kate's show. He would follow her lead.

Without taking her eyes off him, Kate ran her hands along his bare shoulders, skimming her fingertips along his collarbones and down along his pectorals. Her palms smoothed down his chest as she gently coaxed him down onto his back. Castle parted his lips as he gazed up at her as he nestled back into the quilt and pillows, finding a comfortable position. Kate leaned back and gazed down at him with hooded eyes. Castle stared back up at her, startled by the look in her eyes. Mostly, whenever this happen on the job, his client would be looking at him like he was some prized piece of meat, but with Kate it was different. Sure, she clearly admired and appreciated what she saw on a visceral level, but there was something deeper, tender about the way her eyes milked in the sight of him.

Kate stood there for a long beat, simply staring at him. Her expression was unreadable. Her hazel eyes glazed over and for a moment Castle was wondering if it was all over before it started. But then she blinked lazily, and her lips spread into a soft smile, her eyes drifting down his broad frame, taking him all in. He sat there, still and silent, letting the decision be hers.

The silence stretched on, but there was nothing awkward or uncomfortable about it. It was just there. Silent and still. And then there was movement.

Ever so slowly, Kate reached up with steady hands and began to undress. She unbuttoned the green vest with care, and rolled her shoulders, letting it drop to the floorboards behind her. Her white shirt followed soon after. Kate raised her arms over her chest, half-covering herself, as she stared at him, gauging his reaction. Whatever it was she was looking for, she seemed to approve, because after a deep breath, she dropped her arms and reached behind her back, unclasping her bra. Her eyes remained locked on his as she let the lacy material fall to the floor.

On the bed, Castle didn't say anything. He just watched. And Kate watched him. In a trick of light, the cabin windows glowed like liquid, as though the moon were reflecting off water. His chest rose and fell with each heavy breath, his desire for her becoming more and more evident. Her eyes dropped briefly, noticing his reaction to her nakedness. The sight had her smiling, and her confidence seemed to soar as a result. Without wasting anymore time, Kate dropped the pleated plaid skirt and slowly, as seductively as she could while intoxicated, peeled her underwear down her gorgeous long legs.

She then stood there, letting his eyes feast in the sight of her naked before him. Hovering lazily in the waking dream of interrupted sleep, Castle gazed up at Kate, in complete awe at what he saw. She was beautiful, the most exquisite creature he had ever seen. Kate Beckett was quite literally the woman of his dreams.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Kate stepped forward. She didn't speak, saying no words, and just simply looked at him with her gorgeous eyes, telling him all he needed to know. She bent over him, smoothing her palms down the planes of his chest, before skimming down his waist and curling her fingers under the band of his boxers. Complying with her unspoken command, Castle lifted his hips up off the mattress and let her tug his boxers down, freeing his straining arousal for her to see. She licked her lips as she tossed his boxers aside, eyes locked on him.

And then, like a prowling feline, Kate crawled up onto the bed, moving over him at a languid and seductive pace. His entire body tingled in anticipation of her touch. Castle opened his arms, welcoming her in as she glided up his body. She dropped soft wet kisses along his sternum, lingering above his heart, before arching up to hover over him.

Kate gazed down at him, closing her eyes in approval as he tenderly caressed her, reaching up to smooth her tangled hair away from her beautiful face. She was trying to hold back. He knew it and liked it, understood her restraint, and respected it. Her eyes were large and needy as she hesitated above him, softly nuzzling her nose against his, sharing the same breathing air as him. Her gaze flicked down to his lips. Sensing what she wanted, Castle finally took action.

Hooking his leg around hers, Castle gently flipped them over, easily positioning himself between her opened thighs. He could feel her desire and want. Her lips parted on a soft sigh as he smoothed his palm up her flat stomach and teased the underside of her breast. Castle dipped his head down, sealing her pleading mouth with his. She moaned into his kiss, arching up into his embrace, and her hands skimmed up and down his back, encouraging him on. Castle dropped one hand to her side, squeezing her hip, before letting it fall farther, trailing his fingertips along the creamy smooth skin of her thigh. Her fingers tangled in his hair as she pulled him closer, opening for him.

"Kate, are you sure?" he had to ask before they went any further.

"Yes," she murmured, nipping at his lips. "Yes, Castle. Please. I want you. I just want you."

He needed no more encouragement.

The moment he entered her, he knew, he just knew that this was it for him. They both let out a low moan of approval at the feel of their connection. It was right. It was perfect. It was so much more than he'd ever expected. Castle paused above her, giving her time to adjust to his intimate intrusion. He brushed her hair back from her glorious face, and kissed her sweetly, pouring out all the emotion he'd kept at bay since the moment he'd met her on the plane. And then, starting with an initial mild thrust of his hips, he broke one of the most important rules in his profession. Rick Castle made love to his client.


	12. Chapter 12

**The Wedding Date**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 12**_

* * *

His nose twitched. Something was tickling him. There was a warm weight pressing against his chest, and the scent of cherries was invading his olfactory senses. Slowly, his eyes fluttered open, blinking in the sprinkling of sunlight that filtered through the frosted windows, illuminating the cabin in the soft warm light of morning. Arching his neck, Castle looked down and found himself tangled up with a gloriously naked Kate Beckett. It took but a moment more for the haze of sleep to fully clear from his mind before he remembered the events of the previous night. His lips immediately tugged upwards in a happy grin. He had been worried it had all been a dream.

Castle gazed down in awe at the sleeping goddess by his side. The stress she'd been carrying around had seemingly vanished. She looked peaceful and content in her slumber. He could even swear there was a touch of a smile on her perfect lips. He released a sigh, his heart clenching with the realization of what he was feeling. And what he'd done. He had broken one of the most important rules in his profession. He had fallen in love with his client. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply through his nose.

He was in love.

It was an emotion—a feeling—he had not expected to experience again since college when Kyra left him. Opening his eyes, he stared down at Kate Beckett with new eyes, tender and longing. He raised a hand, and ever so gently, skimmed his fingertips up along the curve of her side, curling around her bare shoulder. Her skin was soft and supple, her beauty… indescribable. Heart in throat, Castle dipped his head down and pressed a soft kiss against her shoulder.

Carefully, he wrapped his arms around Kate's slender waist to hold her steady as he adjusted his position on the small mattress. He scooted down until he was able to swing his legs over the edge, wiggling his toes against the cool floorboards. He glanced over his shoulder at Kate and smiled softly.

Castle gently pushed off the mattress, mindful not to cause too much motion as he did so. Kate looked like she was having a good dream. And he didn't want to disturb her slumber. After stretching, Castle bent down to retrieve his discarded underwear. Dressed in what little he'd had on last night, Castle turned back to gaze down lovingly at his sleeping companion. He tugged the quilt up, covering her slender frame, pausing momentarily to leaned down and press a kiss to her forehead.

He brushed his fingers through the curls of her gorgeous brown hair. "I think I'm falling in love with you, Kate Beckett," he confessed in a faint whisper of a voice, still in awe of the emotions growing inside him. After pressing one final, lingering kiss to her forehead, Castle made his departure, climbing up out of the cabin and onto the outer deck.

Castle blinked in the bright morning sunlight, holding up a hand to shield his eyes. He looked out towards the street, seeing a garbage truck pull up to the curb, and two trash collectors hopping out to collect the bins. They saw him and smirked knowingly to each other. Castle gripped the railings of the ladder, and slowly climbed down, offering them a nod.

"Morning," he greeted with a smile.

The two men nodded back and finished with their work, chuckling to themselves as Castle scampered back up the front steps and snuck back inside the house.

XXX

Oh, God… she had a throbbing headache. It was like a jackhammer pounding away inside her head. It made her want to keep her eyes closed; yet even through her lids, she could tell the sun was up. She wished she could linger in this warm cocoon, but she really needed to pee.

Kate's eyes fluttered open, and almost immediately she squinted against the bright light that shone through the frosted windows. Her eyebrows wrinkled in confusion as she glanced at her surroundings. It took her a second to recognize the interior cabin of Bernard's sailboat. Slowly, she sat up, and groaned, scrubbing a hand down her face and carding her fingers through the tangled mess of her hair. Dropping her hands back down to the mattress, she yawned, stretching her back. It was then that she realized that beneath the quilt she was completely naked.

"What the hell?" her hoarse voice trailed off as the memories came flooding back to her in sporadic flashes. She wiggled her hips, and let out a soft groan, gaining confirmation. It had been longer than she'd care to admit since she'd felt that pleasant soreness between her legs.

Her cheeks flushed red hot as more memories came back to her. Her lips involuntarily crept upwards as she remembered the way he had touched her, kissed her… made love to her. Before long she was beaming, practically glowing with the pure rightness of what she was feeling. It had been more than amazing.

She bit her lower lip and dropped her head as she took a moment to contemplate all the implications of last night.

Kate hoped she hadn't done anything foolish like offer him money, because last night wasn't about that for her. Yes, she had been drunk, but she had known what she was doing. She had wanted him. And feeling the way her heart fluttered beneath her breast as she remembered the way he'd looked at her as she'd undressed for him, Kate knew that what she'd done with him had meant far more to her than just sex. Far more.

Standing up on slightly wobbly legs, Kate crouched down to grab her discarded clothing. She hastily got dressed, grinning to herself as her pulse quicken with the realization that she might just have found something she had long since given up on ever finding. Kate understood that the circumstances might not necessarily be the best, but life was messy that way. She didn't care. All she knew was how she felt. And for the first time, Kate actually wanted to follow her heart.

Scrambling up out of the cabin, Kate stumbled on the deck, before regaining some semblance of balance and grabbing the railing. She couldn't stop smiling. Everything felt so right. However, she paused, hesitating at the ladder as she registered that despite what had happened last night, she had woke up alone.

A frown marred her once joyous expression as she descended down the rings of the ladder until she reached the bottom. Her heart sunk. Doubts started to bombard her mind. Had last night not meant the same to him? Was that why he'd left without waking her? Or maybe it had all just been some amazingly erotic dream? If so, then it would've been the most realistic sex dream she'd ever had in her entire life.

Kate stood in the driveway, head tilted to the side, lost in her thoughts. She chewed on her lower lip, trying to comprehend her muddled thoughts. Were her memories real or imagined? Because of her inebriation from all the alcohol she'd consumed the previous night, Kate couldn't rightfully know, unless she spoke to Castle. Now that would be an embarrassing conversation. She could just imagine it: _Hey, Castle… how was your evening? Oh, by the way, did we have sex?_

She was startled out of her thoughts by a loud pounding. Jerking her head up, Kate's eyes went wide in alarm when she saw Bernard looking out through one of the front windows, having evidently witnessed her walk of shame as she'd climbed out of the sailboat.

"Ahoy!" came his muffled shout of greeting. He grinned at her and chuckled, his gray eyes sparkling with mirth, clearly enjoying her discomfort.

Mortified, Kate's cheeks turned a rosy shade of pink. She ducked her head down, hoping her long hair would conceal her face as she quickly walked back up the front steps and slipped back inside the house.

Unfortunately, Bernard was waiting for her when she did.

"Oh, Kate," he chuckled, shaking his head at her embarrassed expression. "No need for that. I'm not your father, and besides, you're a grown woman. I can't begrudge you for having some fun while you're still young enough to enjoy it." He gave her a wink. "Besides, it's not the first time _Queen's Gambit_ has seen such action."

Kate shuddered at the thought, and Bernard laughed good-naturedly, tugging her over into a fatherly hug. She relaxed against him, resting her head against his shoulder as he rubbed soothing patterns up and down her back.

"He makes you happy," he said in a soft, sincere voice. "In the end, that's all I really care about."

Pulling back, Kate offered him a timid smile. "Thanks, Bernard."

He nodded. "Now, why don't you go and get cleaned up. I'm making Eggs Benedict for breakfast!"

Kate nodded, squeezing her arms around the man one more time before scampering off to the downstairs bathroom to relieve her bladder. Once finished, Kate crept down the hall on her tiptoes and quickly made her way upstairs. Her heart pounded profoundly as she climbed the steps, her mind still going a mile a minute with the doubts and worries about last night, headache long forgotten. She slipped inside the guestroom, and gently closed the door behind her, glancing about for Castle. Seeing no sign of him, her shoulders slumped in relief—or was it disappointment?

Sighing, Kate padded over to the bed, and dropped her shoes and socks onto the floor. She frowned when she spotted her purse. It almost looked like it was pregnant. Pressing her lips together as her brow furrowed, she leaned down and picked it up, snapping the small case open. A startled gasp escaped her lips when she saw all the cash that had been shoved inside. She groaned, flopping down onto the edge of the bed, her shoulders sagging with the realization.

Kate vaguely recalled stopping by numerous ATMs to withdraw the cash on the way back from the pub. She glanced back down at the money crammed in her purse, thumbing through the bills, letting out a mild curse. If last night really did happen and wasn't just her imagination, and if she'd offered him this money, then what happened between them had been nothing more than a business agreement. Kate grunted, exasperated over the fact she couldn't recall whether or not she had offered Castle any money, or whether her memories were real at all.

 _Damn tequila_ , she thought with a scowl.

She stared back down at the money. It then dawned on her that if all the cash was still in her purse that that would mean—her thoughts were interrupted when she heard footsteps approaching from outside the room. Kate reacted quickly, hastily stuffing the few bills she'd taken out to examine back in, and then shoving the purse behind her on the bed.

The door opened to reveal her ruggedly handsome fake-boyfriend, already dressed in slacks and a pale blue dress shirt that brought out the color of his eyes. He smiled at her, and she could feel herself melt under his gaze. He was carrying a breakfast-in-bed tray. Her heart clenched with guilt as she wondered how she could ever doubt someone as sweet as this man.

"I wasn't sure what works for you," Castle said, carefully stepping over to join her. "So I've got a pack of Saltines, some scrambled eggs, and a black coffee."

Kate smiled at him, truly touched that he was so thoughtful and caring. Her eyes flirted up to his just as he leaned down to kiss her. Their lips were inches apart when Kate groaned inwardly and pulled back, a little annoyed at herself for not indulging in the pleasure of kissing this gorgeous man. Castle glanced down at her with a furrowed brow, his eyes reflecting his confusion.

"This is really sweet of you," she spoke softly, hesitantly, as she gestured towards the tray. "But I need to ask you something."

"Um… Okay?"

"What happened last night?" Kate inquired, unable to keep a slight tinge of desperation from her voice.

Castle seemed taken aback by the question. His eyebrows knitted together as he stepped back, setting the tray down. She couldn't help but notice that he looked disappointed. He swallowed thickly, averting his eyes as he answered.

"Nothing."

Kate raised a skeptical eyebrow. She may have been drunk and a little confused as to her own memory, but the longer she thought about it, the more Kate was absolutely sure that it hadn't been a dream. If it had just been her own sexual fantasies, then she wouldn't feel the evidence of it, which she clearly did. Judging simply by her body's response, she definitely had sex last night. And if last night really did happen, then what they did was definitely not 'nothing'.

"Are you sure?" she questioned, putting some force behind her voice similar to how she would while performing an interrogation.

Castle licked his lips nervously. "Yeah. We kissed. Made out a little. And then you passed out."

Kate stared at him, long and hard, trying to get a read on him. Her experience as a detective told her that he was holding back. It was like he was putting up a wall—something she was more than familiar with—to protect himself. He was giving her an out. She knew that much. The problem was Kate didn't know how to respond. She had enjoyed last night, and she was certain her feelings weren't a result of too much tequila and finally having sex again after so long without. No. What she felt was real. And, to be honest, that scared her.

"Rick, we both know that's not true," Kate said, deciding to be honest and confront the issue. She was tired of being scared, and cowering away from her feelings. She'd spent far too long denying things, hiding from what she really wanted. Whether this thing between them was real or not, Kate was convinced it was worth exploring.

He seemed caught off guard, not only at her admission of what happen, but also at the use of his first name. His stunned expression was all the confirmation she required that everything that happened last night was in fact real, and not a wonderful dream.

Castle blinked and stared down at her. "I… I don't know what to say," he admitted with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Did you like it?" Kate asked, biting her lower lip and ducking her head down almost bashfully. She felt her cheeks flush warm on a blush. It felt ridiculous, but for some inexplicable reason, she was actually concerned he didn't enjoy himself.

"I did," he asserted, voice low and husky. "Very much. Did you?"

"Yes, I did," she answered, forcing herself to meet his eyes. "I'd never done something like that before."

"Have sex on a boat?" he asked with a grin.

Kate laughed, feeling some of the heavy weight of the conversation lift off her chest. That was something Castle excelled at, making tense situations lighter with humor. She liked that about him.

"Well that too, but no, I meant…"

"I know," he interrupted, placing a hand on her shoulder.

It felt good, the solid firmness of it. Her body tingled with the memories of the intimate touches from last night; memories she now knew were real. A shiver ran up her spine and she couldn't help but part her lips on a soft sigh.

"I should probably take a shower now," she said before anything else could happen. They may have jumped into bed fast, but if this thing was real, then Kate didn't want to make any more rash decisions that might jeopardize it.

Castle nodded in understanding, dropping his hand and stepping back to give her room to move. Kate almost groaned in displeasure, mourning the loss of his touch, but she managed to maintain a calm exterior. She did offer him a small smile, before she slipped past him and padding into the bathroom, her heart thumping with each step.

Closing the bathroom door behind her, Kate slumped against it, chest heaving as it all finally began to sink in. Castle simply hadn't had sex with her. No. She knew what sex was like, how it felt. And what they did last night wasn't just sex. Her heart fluttered at the thought. It made her all happy and bubbly, like she didn't have a care in the world. It was an unique sensation for her, something she had never really experienced, so she really couldn't describe it. But what she did know for certain was that last night Rick Castle had made love to her.

XXX

He felt good. Really good.

After leaving Kate to her sleep that morning in the sailboat, Castle had busied himself with getting ready for the day. But as he'd washed up and started preparing hangover goodies for his lovely lady, doubts had begun to crop up unbidden. By the time he'd finished scrambling the eggs and boiling the coffee, he'd begun to worry that last night hadn't meant the same thing to her that it had meant to him.

But now, those doubts were fading. Kate seemed so happy and carefree. She had a glow about her that she hadn't before. He pursed his lips and smiled to himself, already making plans to terminate their contract and provide her with a complete refund. Castle knew that he'd have to leave the business, but for a woman like Kate Beckett, it was a risk he was willing to take. She was worth it.

After a couple minutes, he heard the shower hiss on. She'd probably be a while. Castle bent down to retrieve the tray from the bed, but stopped when something caught his eye. It was Kate's purse lying askew on top of the comforter with its contents spilling out onto the mattress. His brow furrowed. Reluctantly, not wanting to believe what his eyes were seeing, Castle picked up the wad of money and leafed through the stack of pounds and euros.

At that moment everything just stopped. He didn't breathe. He didn't blink. He just stared at the thick pile of cash in his hand. His heart clenched almost painfully. Payment. That's what this was. Payment for services rendered.

He was such a fool.

XXX

In the shower, Kate let the scorching water punish and purify her. She needed to sober up, and from past experience, hot showers had always done the trick. She ducked her head under the spray of water, closing her eyes as she ran her fingers through her soaked hair, basking in the feel of the scolding water cascading down her back. The fog cast by alcohol soon started to lift, and her memories of last night became clearer and clearer. Kate bit her lower lip as she recalled a particular part of those activities. It had been a long time since any man had done that to her. Her cheeks flushed not just from the heat, but also from the memory of it.

"What's this!?"

Kate yelped in surprise, and fumbled around under the spray of water, before she managed to regain her balance to peek out from behind the shower curtain. Her eyes went wide with alarm when she saw Castle standing there holding a pile of money, his handsome features contorted into a strange combination of hurt and anger.

"Oh. Shit. I…," Kate fumbled for an explanation, but chickened out under the intensity of his glare. She retreated back into the shower, yanking the curtain closed. She dropped her head and clenched her hands into fist as she silently cursed her rotten luck.

However, Kate didn't have too long to berate herself before Castle was pulling the curtain open. Her mouth dropped, and she simply stood there frozen in action. Castle was momentarily distracted by her nakedness. His eyes wandered appreciatively over her fine and slender curves, before he managed to draw his gaze back up to her eyes. His features hardened as he shook the fist of cash.

"Is this for last night?" he demanded.

Kate shook her head, moving her hands to cover herself as best she could. Shit. This was exactly what she was afraid would happen if he found the money. "Of course not. How… how could it be?"

Ignoring her protests, Castle went on, a little calmer on the surface, though the anger was still evident in his hard eyes. "If I was going to charge you, I would have told you beforehand," he insisted. "I thought I explained that to you."

Feeling naked, both literally and figuratively, Kate tried not to flinch. "I was drunk, okay?" she groaned, moving a hand up to rub her forehead in exasperation at her terrible luck in romance. In hindsight, it probably wasn't the best idea to sleep with him while she'd been drunk, but then again she probably needed the liquid courage to help her take that leap. "I didn't want you to think I was expecting anything to be free or that I was expecting something at all." She paused and reconsidered. "Well, I was obviously expecting something or I wouldn't have stopped at all those ATMs on the way home. I just… I was drunk, okay, and I wasn't thinking clearly."

Castle just stared at her, and then she heard what she just said and how it could be taken.

"No, no," she waved her hand. "I didn't mean that. The money. I meant getting the money." She sighed and gave up any pretense of covering herself. After all, it really didn't matter. He'd already seen it all. She dropped her hands to her sides and stood there under the scolding water, letting down her formidable defenses and allowing herself to be vulnerable in front of him. "Castle… Rick," she corrected, using his first name, wanting him to believe her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. Not like this, anyways."

He heaved in a deep breath, and she watched his chest expand and contract with it. "Then why?"

She looked up, biting her lower lip, feeling nervous under his gaze. This was hard for her. She'd spent years building up a wall around her heart to protect her from the pain of loss. Kate had once thought Will would be the one to help her tear it down, but then he'd left her too. She swallowed and looked at Castle. What she saw was a man capable of bulldozing passed her walls and opening her back up to the marvelous possibilities of love. And despite all the heartache she'd experienced in her young life, Kate wanted to love and be loved; even when she knew it came with risks. Her mother would want her to be happy.

"I don't know," she admitted with a wavering voice, shrugging her shoulders. "I don't know. All I know was I wanted you. I just wanted you, Castle. And, damn it, I still want you. I never planned on any of this to happen, but it did. I'm sorry if I hurt you in the process, because that was never my intent."

He paused for a long beat, averting his gaze and glaring at the stack of money in his hand. Kate took the lull to turn the water off and climb out of the shower. She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her slim frame.

"Castle," she broached, unashamed to beg if needed. "Please, say something."

She watched as his jaw muscles tensed, before he raised his head and looked at her. They stared into each other's eyes for a long beat before he finally answered. The upward quirk of his lips was the first sign that she hadn't royally screwed this up. He cocked his head to the side and took in her appearance, his lips twisting into an amused smirk.

"I think I liked it better when you were naked," he said.

Kate rolled her eyes, but smiled. This was the Castle she knew and lo—no, it was too early for that word, even though that's where she was hoping this _thing_ between them could lead.

He chuckled lightly, and glanced at the money. "Don't they have a limit at those machines?"

Kate lowered her head and responded quietly. "Not if you take an advance on your credit card."

Castle shook his head at that as he let out a low whistle in disbelief. "Damn. You're crazy, Kate. Extraordinary, yes. But still… that was a little bit crazy."

"I know," she allowed herself a laugh at her expense, finding it easier to do so with him. He wasn't making fun of her or putting her down, just being with her. She knitted her eyebrows together in thought. "Would it have been enough?" she asked, curious in spite of the circumstances. "I mean, if I'd used it to… you know…"

"Pay me for sex?" he finished with a wicked grin, waggling his eyebrows at her in a lewd fashion.

"Yes, that," she groaned, rolling her eyes.

"You're three hundred short," he said.

"What!?" Kate exclaimed, shocked at the price. "So if something like that had happened last night, I would have had to pay you seventeen hundred dollars? That's a down payment on a Ford Focus."

"Not dollars… pounds," he corrected with a smirk, his eyes alight with mirth. "Besides, it includes… you know…"

Kate's jaw dropped on a silent gasp, immediately knowing what he was referencing.

"That's the extra three hundred," he finished with a wink. He let out a chuckle and she glared at him. "What?"

"What are you laughing at?" she demanded.

"I'm just remember what you said the other day," he asserted.

"And what was that?"

"That you found 'sex for money morally repugnant'," he quoted, still chuckling to himself.

"Then it's a good thing I didn't pay you," she snapped back, snatching the wad of money out of his hand.

"It was good, though," he said, turning serious after a long beat.

"Yes," she concurred with a shy nod. "It was."

Castle grinned, and stepped forward, slinking an arm around her waist. His touch startled her back to the present and she flirted her eyes up to meet his. He moved in closer, invading her personal space. Her breath hitched as his other hand came up and cupped her jaw.

"And for the record, Katherine Beckett," he said in a low, smooth voice. "I want you too."

And then he kissed her, slow and deep. She closed her eyes and leaned into his embrace. All her worries and troubles just seemed to melt away. It was just him and her. Nothing else mattered.

He pulled back when air became a necessity, gazing at her like no one had ever looked at her before. He reached up with his hand and tenderly caressed the side of her face. "I'll leave you to finish your shower," he said. "When you're ready, you can come down and join us for breakfast. Bernard's promised to make his famous Eggs Benedict."

She nodded numbly, still somewhat dazed by the amazing kiss. Castle pressed his lips to hers once more.

"I'll see you downstairs," he said softly, before retreating back and leaving the bedroom.

Kate stood there, clutching the stack of money in her fist. Her skin was dripping wet, and her long hair was soaked and plastered to her back. It all felt so surreal. Never in a million years would she have ever guessed that she could find the possibility of a true romance while attending her friend's wedding with a hired escort as her date. No. That was just impossible. It had to be a dream.

But if it was a dream, then it was one she never wanted to wake from.


	13. Chapter 13

**The Wedding Date**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 13**_

* * *

Castle sat quietly in the breakfast nook with Bernard, each man enjoying his second cup of coffee while reading the morning paper. The older man was working on a crossword puzzle as he sipped his coffee. His spectacles were perched on the end of his nose as he gazed down at the paper. The lady of the house had left early to meet up with her daughter, the bride-to-be, to help nurse her from her hangover from the previous night. Kate was still upstairs, finishing her shower.

A small smile crept onto Castle's face as he recalled the image of her standing before him in nothing but her naked skin, all wet and soapy. It was a very pleasant image, one he wouldn't mind seeing over and over again. It conjured up certain baser thoughts. Thoughts that were definitely not appropriate when he was sitting at the kitchen table with a man who was like a father to the woman he was imagining.

Bernard let out a little hum, bending down lower to read one of the crossword puzzle's clues. "What's a four letter word for daughter defiler?" The older man's bushy eyebrows knitted together in thought. "Oh, I know. R-I-C-K."

Startled by the not so subtleness of this, Castle opened his mouth to explain, but Bernard beat him to the punch. He glanced up at Castle with a knowing look, slowly removing his glasses.

"You a boating man, son?" Bernard questioned with an inscrutable expression.

Castle stared back at the man, weighing his options. It wasn't like Bernard was Kate's father, but he was the next best thing, which made the whole conversation so very awkward, on multiple levels. After a brief hesitation, he offered a tentative grin. "I am now, sir."

Bernard laughed, giving Castle's shoulder a playful pat. "Well, at least somebody's using the damn thing," he declared with a teasing glint in his gray eyes. He leaned back, taking out a small cloth from his pocket, and began to carefully clean his glass's lenses. "I was going to fix her up, but we took one trip and Becca got sick." He shook his head in what was clearly long resolved disappointment. "We never launched her again."

"That's too bad," Castle said, gulping down the last dregs of his coffee. "It's a nice boat."

"Yeah, it is," came the light melody of Kate Beckett's voice.

Castle arched his neck and glanced over his shoulder to see her stride into the kitchen, a soft smile brightening up already stunning features. The two men stood up, and they all stood there for an awkward little moment. Bernard glanced between the two, a knowing smile plastered on his face. He tucked his reading glasses into his breast pocket and stepped over to Kate, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. She bit her lower lip and leaned into the older man's embrace, seeming completely relaxed and at ease. Castle couldn't help but notice the paternal air radiating from Bernard. He'd noticed it before, but he felt it more this morning when he observed the two interact.

Leaving them to talk, Castle made his way over to the counter, intent on making use of the Hurthshaw's espresso machine to make Kate a fresh cup of coffee just the way she liked it.

"Now I know Rick took you up some things for your hangover," Castle overheard Bernard say. "But there's still enough hollandaise sauce for one more. Can I tempt you, Katie?"

Castle glanced over his shoulder to watch the pair. Kate bobbed her head, and curled her arm around the older man's waist, leaning in to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"Consider me tempted, Bernard," she answered with a smile and a light chuckle. "Like you have to ask? You know me. I could never pass on a plate of your famous Eggs Benedict!"

Bernard grinned, delightfully pleased. "Then sit right down, Kate, and I'll whip up a plate just for you." He kissed her cheek in a fatherly manner and then nudged her towards the table as he made his way over to the stove.

"Coffee?" Castle asked, offering the freshly brewed cup to Kate before she could sit down.

"Thanks," she beamed, her smile reaching her eyes. She cupped the warm ceramic in her palms, and held the mug to her nose.

Castle watched in utter fascination as she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. He wondered if she was aware of just how gorgeous she was. When she opened her eyes, she gazed at him with a look that made him speechless. He lost his train of thought. He scrambled for something to say, anything to say. But he found it difficult. So he latched onto the first word to pop into his brain.

"Always."

She froze in place, and her smile stretched even wider, all teeth and gum. It was a dazzling smile, one of pure happiness. It was infectious, and Castle could do little but smile back. He swallowed and gazed deep into her luminous eyes. His heartbeat quickened beneath his ribs. This was an entirely knew feeling, something completely new, yet familiar all at once. It was impossible to describe. The closest metaphor he could come up with was that it was like they were making love right there in the middle of the kitchen. It was an amazing moment; one he hoped would be repeated often. And, sadly, one that was interrupted far too soon.

"Hey, lovebirds!"

They turned to see a cheery Madison Queller standing in the doorway. The bride-to-be breezed into the kitchen with her mother right behind her. Rebekah was carrying a clipboard that had far too many papers attached to it. She was rifling through them, biting her tongue as she double-checked lists and other important wedding details. Castle watched as Kate eyed Madison cautiously before putting her mug down on the kitchen table and approaching her.

"Morning, Maddie," she said with a soft smile, a hint of concern in her eyes. "Sleep well?"

"I slept great," declared the bride-to-be, beaming widely. She practically skipped over to the stove to give her stepfather a kiss. Bernard grinned happily, offering his stepdaughter a brief hug before returning to his cooking. Madison turned back to Kate, and her eyes went wide in delight with what she saw. "Ooh! Someone got laid!" she hollered. "Gonna make little Castle babies, huh, Kate?"

Kate winced, and ducked her head down as her cheeks flared an adorable shade of pink. From his spot at the stove, Bernard gave a knowing chuckle and Rebekah let out a loud chortle.

"Brava, darling!" cheered the older woman, flashing the pair a salacious wink.

Madison stepped over to Castle and jabbed her finger into the center of his chest, offering him a stern glare. "Now don't go breaking her heart, stud," she deadpanned in a serious tone before cracking. She laughed and swirled around, giggling like she was still drunk from last night.

Castle exchanged a curious look with Kate. She shrugged her shoulder and grimaced in second hand embarrassment. He stepped over and placed a hand on her back, gently rubbing soothing patterns to calm her. He smiled when he felt the tension melt away as she relaxed into his touch. Their shared intimacy from last night had seemed to strengthen the connection they'd already shared ever more than it was before. It made him happy, and scared, a whole conglomeration of emotions that were new and exciting. The last time he'd ever felt this way about someone was when he'd first met Kyra Blaine in the university library. But that almost magnetic pull felt different with Kate. Stronger. And much more difficult to resist.

"How much do I love all this?" squealed the cheery Madison, pirouetting about the kitchen like she was on top of the world. "I'm going to get divorced and remarried over and over again so it'll last forever."

She stopped spinning, pausing momentarily to catch her balance before grabbing hold of Kate's hands and pulling her into her crazy dancing. Kate let out a barely audible gasp, startled by the suddenness of the move. She glanced back at Castle for help, but he merely just shook his head and tried not to laugh. It was all just so funny. She narrowed her eyes at him in a little glare, which only made him more amused.

"Madison, honey," Rebekah stepped in with a reproachful look, saving Kate entirely by coincidence. "We're running late for our appointment at the nail salon."

"Yes, yes, I almost forgot," Madison bobbed her head. She turned back to Kate and wrapped her arms around her in a tight hug. "See you later this afternoon for the dance lessons!" And with that, the bride-to-be bustled out of the room.

Rebekah stood there for a moment, pinching her nose with her fingers as she heaved in a deep breath. Bernard slipped in behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, tugging her into the comforting hug.

"It's a marathon, not a sprint," Bernard reminded his wife with a reassuring voice and gentle squeeze.

She nodded, and turned around in his embrace to press a quick kiss to her husband's lips. When Bernard pulled away and retuned to the stove, Rebekah bent down to pick up some of the papers that had slipped off her overstuffed clipboard. Kate crouched down and helped her while Castle assisted Bernard in laying out breakfast. Clipboard restored, Rebekah moved to join her daughter but paused, glancing tentatively at Kate.

"Kate, my dear, could you help with the rings?" Rebekah asked, though it sounded more like an order. "There's no way William is going to get it right. After all, he was a fool to let you go, so how reliable can the man be? Well… gotta go. Ta-ta, darlings!" But before Kate could respond, Rebekah was sashaying out of the room.

Kate stood there for a moment with a dumbstruck expression. Castle watched her, wondering what was going on inside the beautiful mind of hers. He knew from what she'd told him during the hiring process that her breakup with Sorenson had been bad, but there seemed to be more to the story than that. He wished she'd tell him. If for nothing more than to prove she could trust him with her most vulnerable parts.

After a long pause, Kate turned slowly around and saw the breakfast layout that Bernard had prepared for her. She looked towards the older man, who offered her a soft smile, clearly aware of the awkwardness involved with seeing Will Sorenson again.

"Breathe, Katie," Bernard said, smiling reassuringly. "Sit down, and eat your breakfast." She nodded numbly and sat down. Bernard stood behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Becca doesn't mean to be like that. She knows your history with him. She's just had tunnel vision since Harrison proposed to Maddie."

He bent down and kissed the top of her head. Kate closed her eyes, and sighed. She reached up and laid one of her hands over Bernard's in gratitude for his reassurance.

"Besides, whatever my humble opinion in worth," the older man continued. "I think you've found yourself a much better man than that arse. And, if it matters at all, I approve."

Kate laughed at that. "Thanks, Bernard."

"My pleasure, my dear," he said, glancing meaningfully over her at Castle.

Castle inclined his head in acknowledgement of the man's unspoken words. Bernard offered Kate one last reassuring squeeze, before taking his leave. Castle slipped into the seat beside Kate, and sat there, merely providing comfort with his presence. They sat in silence as she ate, taking her time, clearly wanting to enjoy the delicious meal that Bernard had made for her. When she finished, Castle took her hand in his, gently smoothing the pad of his thumb over her knuckles. She swallowed and stared down.

He brought her hand up and placed a kiss across her knuckles. It was a light kiss, but with meaning. By the look in her eyes, Castle knew that she understood.

"It was a tough breakup," she eventually said, voice soft and vulnerable. "Harder than I let on to you earlier."

"You loved him," Castle supplied, already having guessed that. He had seen it in the way the two had interacted when he'd saw that kiss. If he had to pick a moment that he knew his feelings towards Kate went behind his profession requirements, it was then.

Kate nodded, and let out a watery chuckle. "I actually thought I wanted to marry him."

That was news to Castle. He'd knew Sorenson had broke her heart by accepting a position overseas without consulting her, but he hadn't been aware their relationship had been that far along. He took a deep, calming breath, taking a brief second to remind himself that whatever was between Kate and Will was in the past. He need not worry about that. Kate needed him now, and that was all that mattered.

"I'm sorry," Castle said, squeezing her hand in support. He hated the idea of her hurting, even if it was from something in the past and beyond his control.

"It's okay," she reassured, lacing their fingers together and squeezing reassuringly. "I'm fine now. It… um… well, just seeing him brings it all back, I guess. But… I'm better now." She looked up at him, gazing directly into his eyes. She licked her lips nervously and he caught the flick of her eyes as they quickly flirted down to his lips before returning to meet his gaze. "And I have you."

"Yes, you do," he confirmed with a warm smile, taking the cue and leaning forward to capture her mouth with his in a kiss that was simple, yet everything all at once.

"So…," Kate hedged, temporarily averting her eyes in an almost bashful manner when they pulled back from one another. "What's next?"

"Well, if I recall, you promised Rebekah that you'd make sure your jerk of an ex-boyfriend didn't mess up with the rings," Castle answered with a smirk.

She rolled her eyes, and shook her head at him. "I didn't mean that, and you know it," she playfully slapped his shoulder and he grinned wildly. "I mean us…," she elaborated, gesturing between them. "What's next for us."

He stared at her for a long beat, thinking of all the possible answers to that question. There was so much he wanted to say at that moment, but he knew it was too soon, too early in whatever it was that this was. Castle thoughtfully cocked his head to the side. He licked his lips and caught the quick flick of her eyes at the movement. Damn. He wondered if she was even aware how often she did that.

"Whatever you want, Kate," he answered truthfully. "We can do this at whatever pace works best for you."

Kate nodded, knitting her eyebrows together as she looked down in contemplation. "Why?"

Quickly catching her meaning, Castle reached up to lightly brush back some loose strands of hair that had tumbled down in front of her face. He took a moment to linger and caress the curve of her earlobe. She smiled coyly at him, her eyes sparkling.

"Last night. I've never done that before," he explained.

"What? Have sex on a boat?" she quipped back with the same joke he'd used earlier that morning.

Castle smiled appreciatively, grateful for her sense of humor. "That too," he chuckled. "But Kate, we didn't have sex."

Kate raised a perfect eyebrow at that. "Well, I know it's been a long time for me, but I'm pretty sure we did."

He shook his head. She didn't understand. "Kate," he spoke in a soft, urgent voice, willing her to comprehend his meaning. "You know I've had sex with clients before. I've told you as much."

She frowned, looking annoyed at the reminder. "Yes, Castle. I know," she hissed, retracting her hand from his.

"Don't you see, that's the point," he insisted, snatching her hand back and curling his fingers around hers. "I had sex with them. I didn't make love to them." He held his breath as he waited for her to get it.

She looked at him for a long moment, looking perplexed and confused. It took her a while, but soon realization finally dawned on her. "Oh," she gasped. "Oh!"

"Now you get it."

"I do," she bobbed her head. "Oh God, I do."

"I may be an escort, but this _thing_ between us, Kate," he tried to explain. "It's new to me. To be honest, it's been a real long time since I've had an actual relationship with a woman. As you are no doubt aware, finding romance in my line of work isn't exactly easy."

"I would imagine, yes," Kate concurred.

"I just want to do this right," he said. "I care about you, Kate."

"I care about you, too, Rick," she said with a warm smile.

The sight made his heart flutter inside his chest. He wasn't used to feeling like this. It was unknown territory for him. "Okay," he inclined his head. "So, what are we then?"

Kate knitted her eyebrows together in thought as she stared down at their linked hands. "Why don't we get through this wedding first?" she said. "And then afterwards, we get a hotel and just fuck it out."

Castle raised his eyebrows, startled at her word choice. He stared at her in confusion, wondering if she was serious. It was hard to tell.

Kate smiled saucily, her tongue peaking out between her teeth. She leaned in, batting her eyelashes seductively. "As I said," she spoke in a low and husky voice. "It's been a while for me. And I have an awful lot of catch up to do."

"I can get behind that," Castle assured with a vigorous nod.

Kate laughed, and it was music to his ears. She leaned in and curled her fingers around the back of his neck, playing with the tuft of hair at the base of his skull. "You better," she said with a delightful grin. And then she was tipping forward to kiss him.


	14. Chapter 14

**The Wedding Date**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 14**_

* * *

Kate sat back in the cab, still a little annoyed at Rebekah Queller for putting this task on her. And with how everything had been progressing with Castle, she would rather have utilized the brief down time they did have to spend more time getting to know him outside of the role he played as Richard Castle, Male Escort. She wanted to know the real man behind the façade, the one she'd caught a glimpse of last night. There was just something about him that was irresistible. And Kate knew from past experience that what she was feeling for her companion was far more than some simple infatuation.

It was more. So much more.

However, she was the maid of honor, so Kate supposed that certain duties—such as this—sort of fell under her purview.

Leaning forward, she paid the driver and then climbed out of the cab. Kate glanced around the posh shopping district in St. John's Wood, searching for the jewelry store. She pulled out the business card Rebekah gave her before she left the house, double-checking to make sure she was in the proper location. Spotting what she believed to be the store across the street, Kate took off at a quick clip down the sidewalk until she reached a crosswalk. She waited for traffic to clear before making her way across.

The jewelry store was elegant, with numerous glass cases housing fashionable and expensive pieces. She furrowed her brow as she examined the interior through the front window. Kate checked her wristwatch, wondering if she'd arrived too early. It didn't look like anyone was in. She lowered her head and sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. This was not how she wanted to spend her morning.

Just as she was about to give up, and attempt to hail down a cab, she spotted someone emerging from behind the back counter inside the store. He was a well-groomed man with a smart suit and an air of sophistication. Kate waited patiently by the front door as he stepped over to the register and bent his head, going over some papers. And, much to her chagrin, the man took his time.

Kate checked her wristwatch again, and frowned. Back in New York, a boutique such as this would have already opened at least two hours earlier. But she supposed things operated differently on this side of the pond in comparison to back home.

Finally, after what seemed like an excruciatingly long wait, the man stepped out from around the glass counter and unlocked the front door, admitting her with a welcoming smile.

"Looking for something in particular, Miss?" the jeweler inquired with a raised eyebrow as he moved back behind the counter and watched as she scanned the rows of engagement rings behind the glass cases.

Jerking her head up, Kate offered the man a polite smile. "No, not really," she said with a shake of her head. "Actually, I'm here to pick something up. Rings for the Queller/Wentworth-Thymes wedding."

"Oh, and do you have the purchase slip?"

"What?"

"The purchase slip, Miss," the man gave her suspicious look. "I need to see the purchase slip as a form of verification that you're acting on behalf of the buyer."

"Oh," Kate knitted her eyebrows together. "Um… she didn't give me one."

"Well then, Miss, I cannot release the rings into your care," the man stated in flat tone, clearly annoyed, as if she'd just wasted his time.

Kate opened her mouth to argue further—there was no way she was going to go back without the rings—when she was interrupted by the door chime announcing the arrival of another patron. She arched her neck over her shoulder and nearly choked in surprise.

"Hey, you!" she greeted, attempting for a causal manner as Will Sorenson strolled into the shop.

He flashed her what he always thought was a charming grin, his blue eyes twinkling with amusement. "Let me guess, Rebekah thought I'd forget about the rings?" he asked.

Kate simply stared at him.

Will shook his head and chuckled slightly. "I think I'm her least favorite person," he said.

Kate shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe not her least… There's always—"

"Harry's mom," Will finished with a laugh, bobbing his head in agreement. "You're right about that." He paused for a moment before turning his attention to the jeweler. Will reached inside his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. "I have that purchase slip right here."

"Ah, thank you, sir," the jeweler said with what must be his customary welcoming smile as he accepted the paper slip. He examined it for a moment before nodding. "I'll be just a moment," he declared before disappearing through a door into the back storeroom.

Kate shifted on her feet, wringing her hands together as she studiously tried to ignore Will's intense gaze. He stepped closer to her, raising a hand up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She jerked back, astonished at his brazen behavior. She narrowed her brow and glared at him.

"Don't," she snapped.

Will cocked his head and stared at her for a long beat. "Sorry," he said, averting his gaze for a moment, yet he did nothing to move out of her personal space. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, Kate." He offered her a soft smile. "You used to love it when I did that."

Kate growled, growing increasingly frustrated with Will's attitude. "Listen, Will… you and me, we're in the past. I don't know if somehow last night's debaucheries made you forget, but I'm here with someone else."

Holding up his hands in an attempt to placate her, Will took a step back. "Okay, Kate, okay," he said. He paused and glanced around the shop. "We should talk about that. This guy—Rick—there's something not quite right about him."

"Unbelievable," Kate grumbled and rolled her eyes. She turned on Will with a formidable glare, stabbing her finger into the center of his chest. "It's called character." She scoffed. "God, you're so predictable."

"Is that why you brought him?" Will questioned with a crooked grin, so full of himself. "Because of me?"

Kate laughed way too hard. "Don't be absurd," she insisted, not wanting him to know just how close to the truth he really was. Yes, she had initially hired Castle because she needed a buffer between her and her ex-boyfriend. But things had changed.

She turned to leave, but Will stopped her with a hand on her arm. Kate spun around, huffing indignantly and glaring at where he was touching her. Will quickly released her and held up his hands in a conciliatory manner.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

Kate narrowed her eyes. "You wanna know why I brought him?" she asked, raising a curious eyebrow.

Will nodded.

"I brought Rick here because he's my boyfriend," she asserted, feeding off the righteous rage at Will's presumptuousness. "Because I adore him. Because late at night he takes me in his arms and…" She pushed up on her toes to whisper into his ear a three-word description. She dropped back down to her feet and gave him a pointed look. "I'd stick around and explain what that means, but even if I give you the instruction manual, it doesn't mean you've got the _tools_ to get the job done." Her eyes flicked down below his waist as she said that last part, and an amused grin spread across her lips.

Just then the jeweler returned, unknowingly providing Kate with an opening to end this particularly aggravating encounter. When Will turned to greet the man, Kate took the opportunity to take her leave, spinning around on her heels and storming out of the shop before Will could finish his business with the jeweler and muster up a response.

However, her victory was short lived. Will burst out of the shop door not long behind her. She arched her neck over her shoulder as she strode down the sidewalk and groaned inwardly as her ex-boyfriend jogged after her.

"Kate, wait!" he called after her.

She hesitated for a moment at the crosswalk, tempted to just rush across before the traffic lights changed, but she decided it was futile. It was probably best to get this over with so that it didn't cloud the rest of the wedding festivities. She turned around and folded her arms across her chest, giving Will a pointed look.

Will came to a halt in front of her, panting a little from the energy he had to exert to catch up with her. He held the upscale boutique bag containing the wedding rings to his side as he looked at her with almost pleading eyes.

"I don't want you hating me," he implored. "We've never had this talk, Kate. You know how terrible I am at this."

"I don't give a shit," she snapped.

"Kate, stop it," Will said in a stern voice. "You do. You can't even look me in the eye right now." He paused for a breath. "I came here to London and you stayed in New York… and we never talked."

Kate shifted her weight between on her feet, reluctantly agreeing with him that they really hadn't had that talk that every couple had at the end of an intense relationship. She knitted her eyebrows together as she forced herself to look up at him. "That was a long time ago, Will," she asserted.

"Yes, it was," he agreed. "And it took your best friend getting married to get us here."

She wavered for a moment, unsure what exactly he was trying to say. "So, what's your point?"

"I should have told you the truth," he said after a long beat, his expression contrite and sincere.

"The truth about what?" Kate asked, brow furrowing in confusion. Something seemed off. She scanned his face. Whatever it was that Will wanted to tell her was clearly difficult for him.

"About the promotion," he elaborated. "You were right. I was a coward. I should have told you about it. But… there was more to it than the job."

Kate frowned. "Like what?"

Will heaved in a deep breath. "There was something else on my mind at the time. Something you deserve to know."

And then, seemingly out of thin air, Rick Castle appeared by her side, surprising her enough to make her jump as his hand slid up protectively on her back. He flashed her a wink and grinned, oblivious to the intense conversation he was interrupting, before turning his attention towards an equally startled Will Sorenson.

"Hey," he said, extending his hand and shaking Will's.

Still somewhat shell-shocked by the interruption, Will retrieved his hand and shook his head. "Sorry, can you give us a moment?"

"No, I can't," Castle said with a polite smile. "We're late for a dance lesson." He flicked her eyes between them. "I guess you'll have to finish up later."

Kate gave Castle an annoyed look as he pulled her away, his hand still pressed possessively on her lower back as he directed her towards the waiting cab. She glanced back at Will, surprised to see the look of relief wash across his face before he turned around and stalked away in the opposite direction down the sidewalk.

XXX

He did not understand why she was so angry. They had sat in an uncomfortable silence during the ride to the dance studio. He was literally baffled as to her reaction to his interrupt. Knowing why she had hired him in the first place, Castle had thought she would have been appreciative of him saving her from yet another awkward encounter with her ex-boyfriend. But that was not how Kate was acting.

She pursed her lips and crossed her arms, refusing to meet his eyes or even respond to his unspoken questions. Castle hated this. He was supposed to be good at reading people. It was part of what made him so great at his job. But everything was different with Kate Beckett. He considered the notion that his feelings for her clouded his ability to read her properly.

Such an assertion seemed logical.

It had been a long time since he'd truly had these kinds of feelings for someone. He could fake it easily. And he had to for his job. But actually feel it for real made it so much more difficult. Or maybe he was just rusty. After all, his last truly real relationship had been when he was in college.

Castle held the car door open for her as they exited the cab. He paid the driver and then joined her on the sidewalk. She took off at a quick clip, heading towards the signage denoting the location of the dance studio. The studio was on the second story of a building down the block. Castle opened the front door for her when they arrived and Kate stormed past him with a scowl marring her beautiful features.

He watched, brow furrowed in befuddlement, as she charged up the stairs towards the second story entrance. "Hello, goodbye, I want you, I hate you," he hollered after her, growing annoyed at her silent treatment as he rushed up the stairs behind her. "It's all just words. None of it means anything. What matters is what you _do_. You either stay put or you walk away. If you look back, you're not walking away!"

"Oh, cut the crap!" she growled, bristling with indignation.

They reached the second story landing, and Castle grabbed her arm, stopping her. She spun around and glared up at him. He released his hold and smoothed his hand down her arm in an attempt to calm the fire burning within her intense gaze.

"I just hate seeing you so stuck," he admitted on a soft sigh. Castle knew she claimed she was over Will, but it was painfully obvious there was still part of her stuck on that old relationship. It was clear for the start that she needed help moving on. And now he was worried that they'd taken two steps back after the glorious forward momentum from earlier this morning.

Kate shook her head, carding her fingers through her long locks. He could help but marvelous at how beautiful she was when she was angry. Though he wished she wasn't angry with him. "He was about to _un-stick_ me!" she hissed, borrowing his turn of phrase. "I paid you to help me get closure."

Castle scoffed at that. "You paid me for a lot of reasons," he replied, matching her glare with one of his own. "Closure wasn't one of them."

Kate huffed, infuriated, and shoved past him to push through the door. He followed her, and together they burst into the dance studio, late. Maddie and Harry were standing in front of the mirrored walls, talking quietly with the dance instructor. The group glanced up when they entered. Kate fumbled on the glistening hardwood floors, and Castle reached out to steady her.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

The dance instructor narrowed her eyes as they quickly stepped out onto the dance floor to join the others. She was in her late 50's and had a melodramatic air about her. She introduced herself as Sonja, and Castle smirked, finding the dyed red hair reminiscent of his mother.

"The wedding dance is, _sans doubte_ ," Sonja asserted with a theatrical flare that definitely reminded Castle his mother, "the most important dance-moment in a person's life."

Harry raised his eyebrows, sharing a skeptical look with Castle. He bobbed his head in agreement. Maddie jabbed her elbow into her fiancé's side, and gave him a 'pay attention' look. Meanwhile, Kate stood rigid by Castle's side. However, he was comforted by the fact that she at least didn't brush him away when he curled his arm around her slim waist.

"A room full of friends, family… _enemies_ … all watching, smiling, betting on how long the marriage will last," Sonja continued, pausing only briefly to narrow her eyes at the two men. "All you'll have is each other and whatever skills you acquire today."

Kate shifted closer to him, moving her hand up to rest over his. Castle felt some of the tension release as she leaned into him for support. He glanced over at the other couple, noting how unnerved and anxious Harry appeared. He tried to offer the other man a reassuring smile, but Maddie's fiancé was too lost in his own thoughts to notice.

"There are people who will tell you that the wedding dance is symbolic of a couple's compatibility," Sonja informed them with a dramatic wave of her hands. "Of a rapport that cannot be faked. That an unskilled man on the dance floor is a man who lacks grace in bed." She smiled wickedly as she glanced between Castle and Harry. "These people are right."

Harry gulped. Maddie patted his hand reassuringly. Kate squeezed Castle's hand, and he glanced down to see her biting her lower lip in an attempt to hold back a laugh.

Sonja clapped her hands together three times. "Now, let's see what we have to work with!"

XXX

Twenty minutes later, Maddie and Harry were dancing awkwardly to a standard as Sonja gave them instructions. Kate—with her hair tied back in a loose ponytail—watched the couple, feeling a little sorry for the groom. It was really unfair of everyone to put so much pressure on him for something as simple as a dance. Sonja's little speech before they started definitely hadn't helped matters. She sighed, dragging her eyes away from the other couple, and turning her attention back to swaying, if somewhat sedately, to the music with Castle.

There was still some tension between them. She hated that. She felt foolish for snapping at him earlier. It wasn't his fault. There was no way he could have known what she and Will were talking about. And he definitely couldn't read minds. Feeling apologetic, Kate dared to glance up into his eyes.

"I'm sorry I was such a bitch," she spoke softly so that only he could hear her over the music. "I really appreciate you doing this."

"It's my job," he answered simply, shifting his hands around her waist.

Kate swallowed past a lump that suddenly manifested in her throat. She gazed deep into his eyes. A long look. The longest she'd been able to sustain since the boat. She couldn't read him. God, she hoped she hadn't hurt him too much. They'd made such good progress earlier, and now she was afraid she'd thrown that all away. She was awful at this. She always seemed to find a way to sabotage the good things in her life. It was like she was a masochist when it came to romance.

"She knows you better than anyone," Sonja's voice carried over the music as she instructed Maddie and Harry. "You know her better than she knows herself. Where does that feeling live? I don't care if it's your head, your heart, or your crotch. Find that place and dance from it."

Kate shook her head and bit her lower lip. She glanced up at Castle, pleased to see he was just as amused as she was at Sonja's dramatic coaching.

"You know what pisses me off?" Kate asked after a long beat.

Castle paused momentarily, shaking his head, before continuing to move to the music.

"I've been spilling my guts all this time, but I don't know anything about you," she asserted with a pinched nose. "Not one thing."

"I'm sorry about that," Castle said, squeezing his fingers around her slim waist as he flashed her a contrite expression. "This… this is all so new to me." He paused and licked his lips. Her eyes flicked down to follow the movement before returning to his. "My mother was an actress, I wasn't lying about that. I spent most of my formative years backstage during her performances. Kids at prep school picked on me because they knew I was only there because of a scholarship. Needless to say, I didn't have many friends. I majored in Comparative Literature at NYU. And I think I'd miss you even if we had never met."

Kate blinked in surprised, the power of his words hitting her hard. They danced for a long moment in silence, simply enjoying one another's company. Kate had never felt closer to anyone in her entire life.

"Okay," she licked her lips and glanced up at him expectantly. "Now will you tell me why you became an escort?"

Castle smiled enigmatically. Then without warning, he spun Kate around and then reeled her back in tight, holding her close.

The entire world seemed to melt away until it was just them, alone, swaying to the music like they'd always been doing so together. They glided across the floor as if they were weightless. Their movements were perfectly matched and in sync with one another. Their eyes stayed locked on each other as though it were that connection—not gravity—that kept their feet tethered to the ground. Time seemed to slow down for them while the rest of the world carried on a normal speed.

Unbeknownst to the two of them, Maddie and Harry noticed what was going on. They stopped dancing and stared, slack-jawed, as Kate and Castle floated past, completely and utterly wrapped up in each other, oblivious to everything else but one another. They were incredible together. And as the music reached its crescendo, Castle gracefully spun Kate to a perfect stop ending with her back leaning against his chest and his arms wrapped around her waist.

"So you can't dance, eh? Bloody liar!" huffed Harry.

And the perfect moment was shattered. Kate crashed back to reality, and she blinked her eyes, glancing around to see Maddie, Harry, and Sonja all staring at them with astonished expressions. She breathed in deeply, just as shocked as everyone else just how amazing it was.

"I thought you said you were crap," Harry continued, glaring at Castle.

Her escort shifted behind her, tightening his hold around her waist as he shook his head. "I had to say something to get you here," he said with an easy grin, pouring out the charm.

Harry stared at him for a long moment, before inclining his head. "Fair enough," he gave in. "But I'm stepping on toes here and you're waltzing around like…"

"Fred Astaire!" Maddie finished with a cheer, clapping her hands and flashing a wink in Kate's direction.

Castle chuckled. "It's not me, I swear," he asserted, hugging Kate from behind. She sighed and closed her eyes, relaxing into his embrace. "It's her. She's magic."

Kate blushed, and shook her head, attempting to assert that that was not true. She wasn't really that great. "No, I don't think so," she fumbled.

"Shh, Kate," Castle hushed, dipping his head down to press a quick kiss to her exposed neck. "Stop being so modest."

" _Castle_ ," she replied in a low voice, giving him a pointed look. She did not want to be credited as an expert dancer when she was anything but. He hummed in response, squeezing her slim waist in reassurance.

Oblivious to the exchange between the pair, Sonja clapped her hands happily. "And, switch partners!"

XXX

Castle and Kate emerged outside the dance studio, hand in hand behind the soon-to-be newlyweds. Together the foursome walked down the block towards the corner, where the street met a major thoroughfare and cabs would be easily found. Maddie jogged ahead to hail one down.

"That wasn't so bad, was it, Harry?" Castle asked as they walked alongside him.

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "I guess not," he said. "But I still think I'm rather rubbish."

"Don't worry," Kate assured him, reaching out to pat his shoulder. "All that matter is you love Maddie and she loves you. That's the most important part."

"That's right," Castle nodded his head in agreement. "Everything else is just superficial."

"You think so?" Harry asked, glancing at them with a hopeful expression.

Castle released his hold of Kate's hand and clapped the other man on the back. "I know so," he insisted with a warm smile.

Harry nodded, looking more at ease. Castle was glad they could alleviate some of the pressure the man was under. They met up with Maddie at the corner where she'd manage to hail down a cab. She grinned, slinking her arms around her fiancé's waist and snuggling close to him.

"Feeling better, honey bunny?" she asked.

"A little, yes," he said. "Though, your mother still scares me."

Maddie laughed. "Yeah, well, she scares me too sometimes." She stretched up on her toes and pressed a kiss to his lips.

Kate leaned into Castle side as they watched the couple. He glanced down at her, and she met his gaze. Before he could second-guess himself, he dipped his head down and pressed a quick, chaste kiss to her lips. When he pulled back, she was smiling up at him.

"Ooh!" Harry hooted, staring down at his wristwatch. "You two better get going. My parents will be 'round to cart you off to the country shortly." He gestured towards the cab, indicating for them to take it.

"We could share," Castle offered.

"No that's fine," Maddie assured with a wave of her hand.

"If you're sure," Kate said.

Harry bobbed his head. "Don't worry. We'll get another one."

Castle exchanged a look with Kate before opening the cab door for her. She was just climbing in when the bride-to-be called after her.

"Oh, Kate," Maddie said. "Whatever you do, don't mention Italy. Or politics. Or baby buggies."

"Huh?" Kate furrowed her brow in confusion.

"Or Edith Piaf," Maddie finished with a definite nod.

Kate glanced up at Castle with a worried expression.

"Um… you're probably best off pretending you're asleep," Harry put in with a shrug.

"My future in-laws aren't exactly the easiest people to have conversations with," Maddie tried to explain.

"Okay," Kate inclined her head, still somewhat bewildered, before slipping into the cab.

"See you on the other side," Castle said with a grin, shaking Harry's hand.

He scooted into the backseat beside Kate and was surprised when she reached across the space between them and grabbed his hand after giving the cab driver the address for the Hurthshaw house. Kate slanted into his side, resting her head on his shoulder. He smiled to himself as he felt her relax, all the tension flowing out of her body.

"I'm sorry," she sighed softly.

"You already apologized."

"I know," Kate said, arching her neck to gaze up at him. She looked at him like no other woman had looked at him before. She bit her lower lip and reached up with one hand to cup his cheek. "But not for that."

"Then for what?" he asked, closing his eyes and easing into her tender touch.

"For making you wait," she elaborated, snuggling closer into his side. "We don't need to wait until after the wedding to define what we are to each other."

"We don't?"

"No."

"What are we?"

She wrinkled her brow in thought. "Together," she answered honestly.


	15. Chapter 15

**The Wedding Date**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 15**_

* * *

Kate sat on the top porch step, sipping hot coco, and watched as Castle helped Bernard hook up the sailboat to the old Jeep. She smiled softly, remembering the many summer vacations spent with the Queller-Hurthshaw clan. They really were like a second family to her. Bernard and Rebekah had never blinked at inviting her to join them in their summer outings. It had especially been helpful after her mother's death. Vacations with Madison, Rebekah, and Bernard kept her sane during those dark times.

"Good Lord, Bernie! Are you seriously bringing that rust bucket with us?" exclaimed Rebekah as she emerged with her luggage in tow. Kate carefully put her cup down before standing up and offering to help her load the car. Rebekah thanked her with a beaming smile and then returned her attention to her husband.

Bernard let out a huff and adjusted his spectacles. "I thought Maddie and Harry might enjoy taking it out on the lake after the ceremony," he said.

Rebekah waved her hand dismissively. "But it's falling apart, full of holes!"

"No it's not," Bernard disagreed with a stern expression. "Beside, Katie and Rick tried it out last night, and it seemed to hold up just fine under their vigorous testing."

Kate gasped, dropping Rebekah's matched luggage in the driveway while Castle laughed heartily. She shot Bernard a peeved look, and the older man simply grinned mischievously, shrugging his shoulders apologetically. She shook her head and bent down to pick up the luggage.

"That may be," Rebekah carried on and if the conversation was completely normal. "But my baby girl is not spending her wedding day aboard that disaster waiting to happen."

"Relax, honey," Bernard said, stepping forward and placing his hands on her shoulders. Being the good husband that he was, he obviously recognized his wife's attitude had nothing to do with the state of his sailboat and everything to do with the upcoming nuptials. "Everything's going to work out just fine. You and Maddie have spent months preparing for this day. It's going to be fine."

Rebekah heaved in a deep breath, staring back into her husband's eyes. "You think so?" she asked, brow furrowed with uncertainty.

"I know so," Bernard asserted, wrapping his arms around her. "You've done everything needed. Now it's time to just let it all happen." He pressed a loving kiss to his wife's forehead.

Castle appeared by Kate's side, leaning down to help her with the matched luggage. She smiled at him. And he smiled back. Every time he looked at her, Kate could swear she felt butterflies going all aflutter in her stomach. This was all so new to her. She had felt this kind of attraction before, but not to this degree. The chemistry between them was undeniable and impossible to resist, no matter how hard she'd tried. But she was done with that. Kate was ready to embrace what the universe was offering.

They finished loading up the car together and saw Maddie's parents off. Bernard slid behind the wheel of his white jeep with a more relaxed, yet still annoyed Rebekah in the passenger. The mother of the bride was not thrilled with the prospect of arriving at the Wentworth-Thymes country estate in a Jeep Wrangler towing a busted up sailboat. Kate and Castle stood off the side of the driveway and waved goodbye, watching as the jeep and sailboat disappeared down the street.

Castle went back inside to retrieve their own luggage, while Kate sat down on the top porch step and sipped her now lukewarm coco, waiting for the Wentworth-Thymes to pick them up. Castle returned shortly, trudging their baggage with him. He placed them at the bottom of the steps, and then joined her up on the top of the porch. She pursed her lips and smiled up at him. They shared a long look, but a shrill ring interrupted it. Castle quickly dug his cellphone out of his pocket. He checked the caller ID and frowned, quickly sending it to voicemail.

"Who was that?" Kate asked, watching him curiously, trying to read his expression.

"An old girlfriend," he replied after a brief hesitation.

Kate knitted her eyebrows together and ducked her head down, pursing her lips and swallowing. "How do you have real relationships?" she blurted out without thinking. Her filter, it seemed, was nonexistent when it came to Castle. When he offered her a startled look, she elaborated with a shrug of her shoulders. "You know, ones you don't get paid for?"

Castle remained silent.

"You _have_ had girlfriends?" Kate pushed, knitting her eyebrows together as she glanced over and scrutinized his expression.

"Of course," he was quick to defend. "But it's never easy. They say they're okay with it, and they are… for a while. Then one day, they're not."

They sat in silence, looking out at the street, watching the cars go by while London seemed to beam under a rare cloudless sky. It was not awkward, or uncomfortable. It was nice. Almost like they had always done this together. There was no pressure or demands. She could just ease into it, and enjoy her time with him. She'd never had a relationship like that before, even one as unconventional as this one.

Castle took a quick breath and shifted beside her. "When I said I'd never done a wedding, I didn't say that no one ever asked. I just never said yes."

She arched her neck to gaze up at him. "So, why'd you say yes to me?"

He narrowed his eyes and stared up at the sky in thought. "There was something in your voice on the phone that day."

"Desperation?"

Castle chuckled, inclining his head in acknowledgement of her joke. But he shook his head nonetheless. "No," he said softly, tilting his head to look down at her with warm eyes. "I think it was hope."

Kate ducked her head down and hid her smile behind her long hair. "What would you do if you weren't an escort?"

"Make out with you for free," Castle grinned, waggling his eyebrows.

She shook her head and rolled her eyes. "No, seriously… what would you do?"

He paused for a moment, looking off into space. "Honestly?"

"Yes."

"Write mystery novels," he answered after a beat, nodding decisively.

"Seriously?"

"You asked," Castle grinned. He bumped his shoulder against hers. "What about you? What would you do if you stopped worrying about what other people thought?"

Kate shrugged. "Spontaneously combust?"

He laughed, and draped an arm around her shoulder. She bit her lower lip, and eased into his side, finding comfort in his touch. Castle turned and pressed a kiss to her temple. She sighed. It was nice.

"Whatever you do, I'm sure it would be extraordinary," he asserted, firm in his belief. "Because that's what you are, Kate. You're extraordinary."

Oh, this man. She was lucky to have met him. Kate tipped her chin up and surprised him with a sweet kiss. There was no one around, no one to impress or deceive. It was just them. There was no need to put on a show. Yet she wouldn't do anything different. It felt right. It felt real. Nothing else mattered but what she felt in that moment with him.

 _Boy, I really do owe Lanie big time for this_ , she thought with a lighthearted smile.

Castle squeezed her closer and returned the kiss, moving his other hand up to cup her jaw, deepening their embrace. Just then, Harry's parents drove into the driveway in beautiful old Bentley. Mrs. Wentworth-Thymes reached over her embarrassed husband and hooted the horn at them.

XXX

Three giggling children were playing in the distance, running hither and thither in the long grass by the shore of the lake. The afternoon sun shone bright above, the light glittering off the reflective surface of the water. On the far side of the lake, nestled amongst some trees, was a small boathouse with ivy growing along the windows. Bernard's sailboat was moored along the attached dock, bobbing gently in the breeze. Everyone was milling about the grass field, relaxing on blankets and lawn chairs as Harry and one of his buddies from Scotland Yard manned the grill.

Kate sat at a picnic table with Castle, Bernard, and Sally Perkins. The four of them were playing poker. The older man was cleaning up. He gleefully smiled at the younger players before he added a tenner to the pile of cash in the center of the table.

Sally let out a low whistle. "You know, I might just call you… but if I did, I'd lose," she threw her cards down on the table, folding, "because my hand _blows_."

Kate held her cards up and glanced down at them. Keeping her face clear of any emotion, she then tossed in a bill. "Call."

All eyes then turned to Castle, who was still studiously looking at his hand of cards.

Bernard adjusted his spectacles and waggled his bushy eyebrows. "Now, now, now," he grinned, semi-tauntingly. "Let's see what kind of man our Katie has found for herself."

Castle adjusted his hold on his cards and glanced down at the remainder of his cash, just ten pounds. He knitted his eyebrows together, hesitating for the briefest of moments, before shifting in his seat and reaching down to pull out a huge wad of cash out of his pocket. Everyone was visible shocked; yet he seemed not to notice. He stripped off a hundred, tossed it into the pot, and took out sixty.

"Raise you thirty," he said in perhaps the smoothest, most relaxed and calm voice Kate had ever heard.

Bernard's eyebrows shot up to his balding crown, clearly impressed. Sally clicked her tongue and scooted closer to Kate, leaning in to keep what she said private.

"Can I see it? Just for a sec?" she asked in a low whisper.

Kate frowned and turned to look at the other bridesmaid with a confused expression. "What?" she whispered back.

"He's perfect, isn't he?" Sally asked, her eyes shifting back to gaze lazily at Castle. "Oh God, he is. You get all the luck." She turned back to Kate with almost pleading eyes. "It's so not fair. At least describe it to me."

Thankfully Kate was saved from the extremely embarrassing conversation when the shrill ring of Castle's cellphone cut across the table. Castle's poker face slipped away as he made an apologetic expression while retrieving his phone from his pocket. But before he could silence the offending device, Bernard was plucking it out of his hand. Kate's heart leapt up into her throat. Her worried eyes darted over to look at Castle.

"Bernard!" she scolded, turning back and reaching for the phone.

However, the older man's grip was much stronger than she'd expected. He held firm, not giving it up. He pulled away from her, grinning mischievously. Bernard swiped his thumb across the screen and answered the call. Kate held her breath. Her entire body went tense as she awaited the inevitable unraveling of their carefully laid deception.

"I'm sorry," Bernard said into the phone. "Rick's about to win a pile of my money. He's gonna have to call you back. Cheerio."

Kate and Castle were frozen in their seats, stricken with worry. Bernard tilted his head as he listened to the caller's response.

"Thank you for your understanding, ma'am," he said with a chuckle. "And good luck putting out that fire." He ended the call then, and handed the phone back to Castle, giving him a quizzical look. "What is it you do again, Rick?"

Castle shifted in his seat and Kate recognized him putting on the charming façade he'd worn when they'd first met on the airplane. "What would you say if I told you I was a member of an elite task force employed to safeguard the NYPD's most precious resource: Detective Katherine Beckett."

"Oh, yeah," Bernard snorted, shaking his head. "Writer."

Kate worked to hide her relief, shooting a quick look in Castle's direction.

"Call," continued Bernard, tossing in the cash to match Castle's raise. "Let me save you some trouble, young man. My father hit the bottle like it was his job, and he had a mean streak as wide as the English Channel. So, me? I drink in moderation and have never raised my voice around a kid."

Kate quickly threw in thirty pounds, hoping the focus would remain back on the game, and not on the mysterious phone call. Bernard grinned and laid down his cards, a pair of aces and twos.

"What do you say to that, kids?" Bernard questioned with a wide grin.

Castle smirked. "I say that feeling compelled to do the opposite of your parents is as enslaving as emulating them."

He showed his hand, spreading the cards out on the table in front of him, displaying three kings. Bernard shook his head. Castle glanced at Kate. Her eyes twinkled at him, and she pursed her lips in a low smile. She then laid down her cards to show a low straight.

"That's my girl!" Bernard exclaimed with a clap, winking at Kate.

She blushed under the praise, but still shimmied in her seat, raising her hands up in the air in a little celebratory dance. Castle watched her with delight, enjoying the sight. Bernard chuckled, encouraging Kate on, while Sally slumped back in her chair with pout, sulking about loosing all her petty cash. Harry, holding a plate piled high with bangers, materialized behind Castle's back while Kate leaned forward to collect her winnings. The group turned to look up at him.

"Anybody seen my future wife?" he inquired with a raised eyebrow. "She'll kill me if I don't serve her first."

Kate shook her head.

Sally laughed. "Oh please, have you guys ever had a real, honest-to-God fight?" she questioned.

Though she wouldn't have been as blunt as Sally, Kate too was mildly concerned at the outward perfectness of Maddie and Harry's relationship. In her experience as a detective, nothing was ever that cut and dry. There had to be something under the surface. Something more.

Harry cocked his head to the side, furrowing his brow in thought. "Um, of course," he fumbled out, clearly lying.

"Yeah, right," Sally scoffed, and Kate agreed, rolling her eyes as she stacked up her winnings.

Undaunted, Harry continued. "I hear make-up sex is the best kind," he sighed dramatically. "Unfortunately, I'll never know."

"Hey, writer boy," Bernard called out Castle. "You think you could rustle up the bride and tell her to join the party?"

Castle bobbed his head, seeming a little too eager to please the older man. "Will do," he declared, flashing a wink in Kate's direction before pushing up to his feet and conferring with Harry before heading towards the boathouse.

Kate knitted her eyebrows together and watched him leave with a hint of apprehension, hoping that their ruse would remain intact. She did not need anyone knowing that he really wasn't her boyfriend, even if at present their pretend relationship was more real than it had been at the start.

XXX

That had been close. Their cover had almost been blown. Castle shook his head, and dug his phone out of his pocket. He turned it off, deciding it was best to permanently silence it for the duration. Besides, he had already made up his mind. He was going to quit. He had found something special with Kate, and he didn't want to jeopardize it by staying in the escort business. He nodded to himself, resolved to see it through. It was a necessary step. Though she'd hired him, it was obvious that she wasn't exactly pleased with the whole morally gray area that his line of work inhabited. He would end it for her. And he would surprise her by returning her payment. They didn't need that hanging over their heads as they navigated the blossoming of their relationship.

Castle shoved his hands into his pockets and maneuvered around a rose bush, following the curve of the well trodden pathway towards the boathouse. He walked across a blanket of pine needles from a small copse of trees. Just up ahead he could see the wooden frame of the boathouse, and the trail turned into a well-maintained cobbled pathway. He ducked his head down as he passed under a solidly built pergola with flowering wisteria growing through the latticework. He walked up two steps and reached the entrance of the boathouse. The door stood ajar, and he frowned, hearing voices emanating from within. It sounded like they were in the middle of an argument.

Slowly, Castle nudged the door further open and slipped inside. The interior of the boathouse was more than he had expected. It was more like a guesthouse, with a small kitchenette and sitting area. There were two shelves, filled with books, and futon in the corner. Narrowing his eyes in the dim light, he spotted the silhouettes of Maddie and Will on the far side of the room, near the open-air patio and attached dock. Their backs were to him, so they hadn't spotted him. He didn't like the look of this. So he decided to hold back, staying in the shadows and listen in on what was going on.

"I said no! Dammit Will, I'm getting married tomorrow!" Maddie growled, yanking her arm away from Will when he'd reached for her. "What do you want from me?"

She turned, creating further distance between them, but froze when she spotted Castle. Her face fell. Confused by her stricken expression, Will glanced up and blanched upon seeing him in the shadows by the front entrance of the boathouse. He tried to cover his reaction, but failed.

"Right, then," Will said with a nod, returning his attention to Maddie. "I'll get you a turkey burger instead." He glanced at Castle once more before walking out stiffly.

Alone, Castle and Maddie stood there for a long moment, staring at one another. She shook her head, clearly mortified. She wrapped her arms around herself as she turned around to stare blankly out the large bay window that overlooked the lake.

Castle opened his mouth to speak, but stopped and rethought his words. "I'm sorry to interrupt," he said as casually as possible, though it did little to hide the fact that the room was filled with tension so thick that he could cut it with a knife. "Your dad sent me."

"For what?" sniffled Maddie.

"To make sure you're okay."

Maddie turned around, and averted her eyes, gazing down at the dirty floor of the boathouse. She let out a sardonic laugh. "You know all that 'if these wall could talk' stuff? Do you believe it? That a place has a memory?"

Castle nodded thoughtfully. "Actually, I do."

Her expression clouded as her eyes drifted to the folded up futon. He followed her gaze, his brow furrowing.

"This place has been in Harry's family forever," Maddie told him with a weak smile. "We—that is Harry and I—spent almost every weekend up here last summer." She sighed, and anxiously carded her fingers through her flaxen hair. "Sometimes… Will… Will would join us." Her brow knitted together in a concerned frown. "God, I hope it doesn't remember everything."

He remained silent, immediately understanding what she wasn't saying. The silence was broken by happy laughter floating in from outside, an ironic soundtrack to Maddie's desperation. Castle stepped further into the boathouse and grabbed a chair, pushing it out toward her. Maddie looked up at him for a beat, hesitating just briefly, before sitting down.

Castle took a deep breath, before asking the question that had been burning in his head since he first walked in. "Does Kate know?"

"No," Maddie didn't even bother shaking her head. "It was such a long time ago. At least, it seems like it was." She dropped her gaze down to her twisting hands, shamefaced. "It was an accident the first time it happened."

He snorted at that. Castle didn't believe that for a second. In his experience there was no way you could accidently sleep with someone. You always had a choice.

Maddie acknowledged his disbelief with a flicker of her eyelashes, before continuing with her tale. "Kate was there most of the time we'd spent together, but neither of us could deny the attraction. It was too… _intense_." She shook her head, and looked up towards the rafters above. "God, it was so wrong, _so very_ wrong—and we knew it—yet we couldn't stop ourselves." Maddie pursed her lips and swallowed, forcing herself to meet Castle's eyes as she continued her confession. "We'd make up excuses to see one another when Kate wasn't around. She almost caught us once."

"Was that around the same time Will got his job offer?" Castle asked, already sensing the direction of her story.

Maddie confirmed his suspicions with a nod. "It was the only way to stop it. We had to get some separation." She took a deep breath and rubbed her forehead. "Kate never suspected a thing, so the job offer came as a shock. Will really did think she'd go with him." She let out a light laugh. "I think I thought so too. It wasn't like Kate didn't know anyone here in London. But New York was her home. And she wasn't going to leave."

Castle inclined his head. He got that. But he still didn't understand how it affected her upcoming marriage to Harry. From what she'd just said, her affair with Will was in the past, back when Kate and Will were dating. He folded his arms across his chest. "How does Harry fit into this?"

"I wasn't expecting it, that's for sure," Maddie asserted, letting out a self-deprecating laugh. "Once it was clear Kate and Will were over, I came here to London under the guise of visiting my parents."

"Ah," Castle bobbed his head, seeing where she was going. "But you really came to see Will."

"Yes," Maddie said. "I couldn't help myself. I had to see him again. We rented a room at a swanky hotel and just went at it like rabbits." She paused for a breath. "Harry ran into us at the hotel bar during one of our brief respites. We'd been keeping what we were doing a secret for so long that we just sort of panicked. Will introduced me as a friend visiting from the States, mentioned I had parents in the city. And before I know it, Harry's asking me out."

"Why did you agree if you and Will were…?"

"I don't know! I panicked," Maddie asserted, slightly defensive. "I had no idea that I'd end up falling for him so soon after that first date." She shook her head. "But that's not the worse of it."

"You and Will kept…," Castle waggled his eyebrows.

Maddie nodded, her eyes watering up. "Off and on, but the longer I spent with Harry, the more I knew I was falling in love with him. Our last time was here," she glared down at the futon. "I ended it the next day."

"Why?"

"Harry proposed."

Castle shifted and looked at the bay window, catching a glimpse of the picnicking on the other side of the lake. He lowered his brow in thought. None of this was good. Will and Maddie's affair overlapped two other relationships. He sighed, and glanced back up at Maddie.

"I know I have no right to ask, but Rick, please, don't tell Kate," she pleaded, tears streaming down her face. " _Please_."

He was reluctant to agree, but looking at the desperation in her eyes, he couldn't say no. "Fine," he sighed. "I won't. But you should. And you should tell Harry. You shouldn't enter marriage on a lie."

XXX

Kate was standing with Rebekah and a group of Maddie's relatives, absentmindedly looking for Castle as she nursed a glass of ice tea. She wondered what was taking him so long. Surely he'd have found Maddie already. Turning, she glanced out across the lake, and stared at the sailboat moored to the dock attached to the boathouse. A lazy grin spread across her face as she remembered what she and Castle had done aboard it. She had never really been that spontaneous since her wild days back in her youth. Alcohol had helped spur her on, to be sure, but Kate did not regret a single moment of that night. It was perfect, it all the right ways.

"Um, Kate?"

She was jerked out of her reverie by the sudden appearance of Will Sorenson. Harry's best man smiled politely and nodded to the rest of the group before he placed a hand on Kate's arm.

"May I have a word?" he asked. "It'll be just a minute."

But before Kate could respond, Rebekah was interrupting with her usual dramatic flare. "Let me think," she said, tilting her head and feigning thought. "You stole six months of her life with your charm and your bullshit, and now you want a couple of minutes? Sure. Go right ahead."

Will swallowed and backed away, holding his hands up in an attempt to appease the older woman's withering stare. Kate huffed and rolled her eyes in annoyance when Rebekah gave her a conspiratorial wink.

"Thanks for the solidarity, Rebekah," Kate said, trying hard to conceal her frustration. "But next time… a little less information."

Rebekah shrugged her shoulders as Kate turned to follow Will towards the lakeshore. They lingered for a few moments in an awkward silence. Kate played with the tiny colorful umbrella in her glass as she waited for Will to speak.

"You were so good to me," Will said. Kate was startled with his disarming sincerity. She tried to keep her guard up, but despite her better judgment, she found herself listening. "I swear I never meant to hurt you, Kate. We were together for almost a year."

"Six months," she corrected, unable to stop herself.

"Uh?"

"We weren't together for a year," she assert with a slight glare. "It was six months."

"Okay, six months," he nodded, but smiled softly. "Still, it was a good six months, wasn't it?"

"What are you doing?" Kate frowned. "Is this supposed to be an apology?"

"It's not supposed to be anything, Kate," Will asserted, though she wasn't buying it. Something was up. "It's just my rather feeble attempt to… Oh, I don't know… You see, I thought I could deny my feelings…"

Kate wasn't really listening to him. She had caught sight of someone over his shoulder, someone she'd rather be spending time with than her ex-boyfriend and his futile attempt to apologize for past mistakes. She was over it. She really was. For the first time in what felt like forever, Kate Beckett no longer cared about how things ended between her and Will Sorenson. He was her past. And Rick Castle was her future. He was emerging from the woody area that led to the boathouse, and even from a distance she could tell something was bothering him.

"You're not even listening," Will whined, pulling her attention back to him.

Kate shifted her feet and glanced up at him, feeling nothing. It pleased her. She felt nothing for this man. Nothing at all. All those unresolved feelings were spent, gone. "I'm sorry, Will, but this…," she gestured between them, "it's over and done. I've moved on." She gave him on last look. "And so should you." Kate walked away without a second glance, missing the frustrated sigh from her ex-boyfriend.

She quickly made her way over to Castle, meeting him just as he arrived at the edge of the grass field. He was trying to mask his distress, but she could see right through him. Kate reached out and tentatively placed a hand on his chest.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

Her gentleness and concern seemed to find its way into him and he soon recovered. He looked at her for a moment and smile softly, taking her hand in his.

"Yeah. You?" he said, offering her hand a brief squeeze.

"I'm good," she nodded, gesturing towards the row of picnic tables, where the food was being served. "Let's go and eat."

Kate and Castle walk back towards the group. Side by side, they cut through a picturesque glen. Castle stopped, shooting Kate an anxious glance, his brow furrowed as if he were debating something internally. She offered him a warm smile. His smiled grew in return, and he raised her hand to lips, pressing a tender kiss into her palm, surprising her with his tenderness. But as they continued on towards the picnic tables, Kate noticed that his eyes turned back towards the boathouse.


	16. Chapter 16

**The Wedding Date**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 16**_

* * *

Castle sat on the large bed in the guestroom he and Kate had been assigned after arriving to the Wentworth-Thymes family estate earlier that day. He raised his foot up, resting it on the edge of the bed as he tied his shoes. He continued to get dress, going through the motions, his mind elsewhere. He couldn't stop thinking about the revelation he'd learned that afternoon.

Maddie and Will. _Wow. Just… Wow!_

It was a lot to take in. He didn't want to believe it, if not for the sake of the upcoming wedding, then for Kate's. He knew she had struggled moving on from her break up with Will—the bastard had broke her heart—but to learn this… it might devastate her.

He stood up and strolled over to the vanity mirror, raising his hands to adjust his tie. Castle narrowed his eyes at his reflection. He hated keeping this secret from Kate, but it really wasn't his to tell. He sighed and carded his fingers through his hair. He was in an impossible position. And he hated it. Shaking his head, he grabbed his dinner jacket and slipped it on, before grabbing a comb to work on his ruffled hair.

Finished, Castle judged his appearance one last time in the mirror before looking for Kate. She was getting ready in the bathroom. He could hear her humming along to the radio. He stepped lightly over to the opened door and glanced inside, smiling at the sight. She was up on her tiptoes, doing her make-up. His eyes traveled up her long legs and he paused, briefly, admiring the way her hot pink panties hugged her perfectly toned backside, before continuing up the delicate arch of her. God, she was gorgeous. Not wanting to disturb her, Castle remained silent, and simply watched her get ready.

After a moment, Kate started singing along to the classic 80s love ballad blaring away on the radio. Castle grinned, enjoying the show. It was obvious she knew every word. And her voice was amazing.

Castle tilted his head as he watched her. She seemed different somehow. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it was like she was freer. And then it hit him. She was singing like she meant it. He swallowed and ducked back away, giving her some privacy. She was in such a good mood; he couldn't destroy that by telling her what he'd found out. No. He shook his head. After all, it _really_ wasn't his secret to tell. He sighed. He hated this. Perhaps for now, as the saying went, ignorance was bliss.

"Hey, Castle, I'm going to be a little while longer," Kate hollered, taking a break from singing along with the radio. "You go down and mingle. I'll catch up with you."

"You sure?" Castle questioned, unsure if he should really do so.

"Yeah," Kate responded, ducking her head out. "Go rescue Bernard from having to talk with Harry's parents. I know he'll appreciate it."

"Well, okay… if you're sure," Castle hesitated.

"Quit stalling and go," Kate laughed, popping her head out of the bathroom and staring at him. She frowned, noting his expression. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," he said, stepping over to her. He reached up and cupped her jaw in his palm, leaning into press a kiss to her lips.

Kate closed her eyes, and sighed, relishing his touch. She grabbed his collar and pulled him back in for another delicious kiss. "Now get going, or you'll distract me," she said with a playful smile.

Castle grinned cheekily and bowed his head. "As you command, milady." He was rewarded with the wondrous peal of her glorious laughter as he departed their room.

XXX

He did as she instructed, seeking out Bernard amongst the milling guests waiting for dinner to be served. He had spotted Will when he'd entered the elegant salon, but the other man made a point of avoiding him. Castle didn't mind. In fact, he'd very much rather never have to speak to the other man for the rest of the trip. So instead, Castle had accepted a cocktail for Bernard and followed the older man out onto the balcony, where the two of them overlooked the dinner party preparation on the south lawn. They watched as Rebekah zipped around below, hissing orders to the staff, despite the fact that the country estate was not hers, and that the Wentworth-Thymes were handling everything for the rehearsal dinner.

Bernard shook his head. "The woman is insane," he said with a light chuckle as he sipped his cocktail. "But, God damn, if I don't love her."

Castle nodded, sipping his cocktail. He licked his lips nervously. He felt like he could trust Bernard. And he really needed someone to confide in, about him and Kate, and the reality of the situation and his feelings for her. He wanted to end the charade and come clean. But he just couldn't really find the words to start. He had to choose his words carefully.

"Kate does this thing," he said. "She stands on her tiptoes when she's looking in the mirror. You ever notice that?"

"Yeah. She's done that for as long as I've known her," Bernard smiled reminiscently and his gray eyes twinkled. "I remember the day I met Kate," he said after taking a long sip from his glass. "It was in New York. Rebekah and I had been married for a couple of years. And we'd decided it was best to stay there so Maddie could finish her education without any disruption, plus I could easily afford maintaining two residences." He took a sip of his cocktail. "So, one day after school, she came home with this willowy girl with long hair, wearing a worn leather jacket and whitewashed jeans that were ripped around the knees. I was worried sick Maddie was going to start listening to grunge music and dye her hair black."

He paused for a beat, lost in nostalgia.

"She introduced her as a friend from French class," Bernard continued. "And asked if it was okay if she stayed for dinner, since the two of them needed to study for an exam the following day. And reluctantly agreed. Rebekah was out of town, visiting her sick mother, so it was just me. I was a little wary of being stuck in a house with two teenage girls."

Castle laughed along with Bernard at that.

"Anyway," Bernard said with a sigh. "Dinner time rolls around, and I'm scrambling for ideas. So I go upstairs to check on the girls, see if they were okay with pizza. And that's when I found them practicing kissing with Maddie's old teddy bear."

"Seriously? You're not pulling my leg, are you?"

"Hand to God," Bernard assured. "I could not make this stuff up. You're the writer, my friend." The older man laughed. "Turns out Kate was teaching Maddie how to kiss boys. I overheard her telling Maddie, with this very serious tone, that it might even involve some tongue."

Castle shook his head. He could only imagine the two teenagers' mortification when they realized Maddie's stepfather had found them out.

"Needless to say, the entire episode was very embarrassing—for all three of us," Bernard chuckled with a small grin. "But it became our little secret. Gave us all something to bond over. After that, Kate was like another member of the family. I know she has a father, but after Johanna died… it was hard on them. Rebekah and I sort of took her under our wing. And just like Maddie, I love her like she was my own."

"I get that," Castle nodded, understanding a little of what the older man was saying.

"You think it's going to get easier when they get older," Bernard continued, thoughtfully gazing out at the evening sky. "That you're going to worry about them less. Or trust the world more. But that's just not how it goes."

They stood in silence for a long moment, enjoying the quiet and the gentle evening breeze. Castle shifted anxiously on his feet, glancing down at his empty cocktail glass.

"Um, Bernard…," he started, gaining the other man's attention. "I'm not sure if this is going to make sense to you, and you're not really her father, but… well… um…" God, why was he so nervous?

"Go on man, spit it out," coaxed Bernard with an amused grin.

Castle stopped his shifting, and glanced up to meet the older man's gaze.

"I'd like to ask permission to date Kate," he said.

Bernard gave Castle an intense but unreadable look, and leaned in. "I thought you already were."

Castle merely stared back, silent.

"The ladies are fond of you, Rick," Bernard continued after a beat. "I can see that. I also see that whatever else you are, you're a helluva good guy." He gulped down the last of his cocktail. "She paid a real price for dating William."

Castle adjusted his footing. His brow furrowed. He couldn't tell what Bernard knew and to what extent. But it was clear that the older man was aware that some things weren't as they seemed.

"This will be different, won't it?" Bernard questioned, giving Castle a hard look.

He answered immediately, firm in his belief at what he was saying. "Yes," he assured, confident. "Yes it will." And silently, he added, _I think I'm in love with her_.

XXX

The rehearsal dinner was well underway. Paper lanterns were strung up above, and the south lawn looked enchanting. Kate sat at the table next to Castle, enjoying the fine cuisine that the Wentworth-Thymes were generous enough to offer to all the guests. Harry and Maddie were at the head of the table, sharing food off their plates and grinning like the soon to be newlyweds that they were. Bernard and Rebekah were positioned across from where Kate and Castle sat, talking animatedly with Mr. and Mrs. Wentworth-Thymes. And the rest of the guests were absorbed in numerous lively conversations. Except for Will. He was sitting at the far end of the table, not engaging, and brooding as he just drank glass after glass of the expansive wine that was served alongside the different courses. That was fine with Kate. She had eyes for Castle, and Castle alone.

She looked at him and he looked right back, his blue eyes sparkling with such affection and admiration that Kate's heart just wanted to burst with the overwhelming feeling of it all. She had never felt more alive or loved. And it was wonderful. Oh, so very wonderful. Castle touched her cheek and leaned back, picking up his fork and stabbing a piece of roasted chicken. He glanced back at her with a playful expression and she bit her lower lip. He waggled his eyebrows and held up his fork, offering it to her. She grinned, and then leaned forward, opening her mouth and allowing him to feed her a bite off his plate. She chewed and swallowed, relishing the flavoring and the intimacy of the gesture.

They had finally caught up with the couple they had been pretending to be since the beginning.

"Oh, you two are just so sickeningly sweet," griped Sally, pouting as she held up her empty glass, demanding a refill. One of the servers quickly complied.

Kate blushed and ducked her head down as Castle shifted, draping an arm over her shoulder. Ignoring the envious bridesmaid's comment, he leaned in and nuzzled her ear.

"Bernard told me about the teddy bear make up session," he whispered, an amused glint to his voice.

Gasping, Kate pulled away, looking at him with a shocked expression. "Shut the front door!"

Castle laughed. "It was quite funny," he said.

"No," Kate shook her head. "Embarrassing is more like it."

He shrugged, gazing at her with warm eyes. "It's endearing."

Kate just continued to shake her head. She rolled her eyes, and flicked her gaze down to the table. Bernard caught her pointed look, and judging by his expression, he was aware he was in trouble. Castle lifted a hand to cup her jaw, turning her attention back to him.

"I like learning new things about you," he asserted. "It's fun."

"Okay," she said, pulling back and reaching for her glass. She took a quick sip and glanced over at him with devious eyes. "Then why don't you pay me back in kind with an equally embarrassing story."

"When I was sixteen, Millie Townsend's father caught me with my hand up her skirt," Castle supplied without further prompting. "And I swear, I'm not making this up. It really happened."

Kate's jaw dropped on a silent laugh. "No way."

"Way," he grinned back with a waggle of his eyebrows.

Kate lifted her hand up to caress the side of his face. "You must have been so cute back then," she said.

" _Back then_?" he raised his eyebrows in feigned offense.

She smirked, pleased with getting a rise out of him. They clinked their glasses together and drank down the last of their wine.

"Ooh, Kate, be a darling and help me fetch more wine, please," Rebekah announced as she stood up from the table. When Harry's mother started to speak, Rebekah waved her off. "No worries, Linda, I know the way."

"Sorry, I should have warned you all," Bernard said in a joking manner as he leaned towards the groom's parents. "My wife can scent out wine like a bloodhound."

Rebekah clucked her tongue in mild disapproval at his joke, but nonetheless patted Bernard good-naturedly on the shoulder. She then stepped around the table and theatrically gestured for Kate to follow. Kate sighed and looked to Castle with an apologetic expression, before standing up and rushing to catch up with the mother of the bride.

"How many times have you been here?" Kate inquired, walking behind Rebekah as she easily made her way through the vast interior of the country estate down into the wine cellar.

The older woman knitted her eyebrows together. "Once," she declared after some thought.

The cellar was dark, with only one overhead light. Kate was impressed with rows upon rows of wine bottles. The Wentworth-Thymes were clearly wine aficionados. They had quite the selection. And for only having been down to the cellar once—or so she claimed—Rebekah seemed to know exactly where to go to select the bottles she desired. She grabbed two bottles of Merlot by the neck and grinned. The sight was a little frightening.

"I'll takes these up," Rebekah announced. "See if you can find a nice rosé and white." And then she was gone, hustling up the stairs and back out to join the others still enjoying dinner.

Kate pursed her lips and shook her head. It was just like Rebekah to leave her in the middle of a task to finish herself. She remembered the one time during college when Kate offered to help make thanksgiving dinner, needing something to occupy her mind so she wouldn't get lost in thoughts about her alcoholic father. Rebekah had left her halfway through prepping the turkey to 'run last minute errands', which had turned out to be visiting a beauty salon to get her toes done, resulting in Kate having to make the entire thanksgiving meal herself.

Turning around, Kate squinted in the dim light, searching the bottle labels for the appropriate wines. She gently ran her fingertips along the curved glass, admiring the many and varied selections. Finding a wine that interested her, Kate stretched up on her toes and pulled the bottle off the top shelf. Just then a hand touched her back, causing Kate to spin around in surprise and lose her hold on the bottle. It slipped out of her hand, but before it could shatter on the ground, Will caught it.

He offered her a thin smile.

She narrowed her eyes and grabbed the bottle back, returning it to the shelf. "Okay," she said, placing her hands on her hips as she glared at him. "Let's do this. What's the big confession?"

"Uh?" Will startled, eyes wide.

Kate shook her head and adjusted her feet, putting some distance between them. She lowered her brow and stared at him with a determined look. "Don't play dumb," she said. "I'm a detective. I can tell when someone wants to confess something."

Will bobbed his head, toying with the neck of one of the many bottles of wine. "Fine, you're right. You got me," he answered. He sighed, and stepped back from the wine shelf, running his fingers through is closely cropped blond hair. "We didn't work out because you were in love. And I wanted to be. But I wasn't. If I had confessed, you would have forgiven me. But the truth is, I didn't want to be forgiven. I sort of just needed it to end."

She folded her arms over her chest and glanced down, processing his words, trying to be open to listening. Even though she'd moved on, they still hadn't really had a proper conversation about how things went down.

"Sorry," Will said, dropping his hand and rubbing the back of his neck. "I had no idea this would be so difficult."

Kate looked up at him, scrutinizing his somber appearance. She sighed and stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to reassure him. "Relax," she said. "Take a breath and just say it. It's no big deal. Promise."

"Great," he groaned.

Kate smirked. "Well, it _was_ a big deal. As late as… yesterday. But not anymore."

"Huh?" Will straightened and looked at her with a puzzled expression. It took him a moment, but then it alighted. "Oh… this is about Rick, isn't it? He really isn't your boyfriend." He grinned smugly when Kate offered a tentative nod of confirmation. "I knew something was off about him."

"Fine, you were right," Kate said with a roll of her eyes. "He's not my boyfriend. We were pretending. I only just met him earlier this week. I wanted to drive you insane. To torture you slowly, for the entire weekend." She paused and smiled softly, thinking of Castle and how he made her feel. "But then something happened. I started to fall for him. And now, and I hope this doesn't hurt your feelings, Will… but now I'm sick of you and me, of our story."

Will stared at her, unable to find words. She offered him a polite smile and took his hand.

"It's the past," she said. "It's nothing but ghosts. So just get if off your chest, then let's go back upstairs and eat some tiramisu."

Will pursed his lips and swallowed. "Kate… it… it's not that," he shook his head, letting her hand drop away.

Her nose wrinkled in confusion. "Then what?" she asked. "You are going to have to tell me, Will, because I have no idea what you're trying to say."

"I slept with Maddie," he blurted out.

Kate stumbled back. "What!?"

"God, Kate, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Maddie and I… we… we started sleeping together about two months before you and I broke up," Will confessed. "It was why I accepted the job offer. But when you didn't come with me, Maddie… she… she came over here and we… we kept at it. It was wrong. So wrong. And we knew it was wrong. But we couldn't help ourselves. Then she started seeing Harry, and we tried to stop. And we did. For a time." He paused for a breath, looking away, shamefaced, as he should be. "But then there was that one other time. And that was it. I swear."

Kate stared unblinkingly at him, blood pounding in her ears.

"Last summer, when Harry proposed," Will went on, oblivious to her reaction. "I realized… I'm in love with her. I can't lose her."

Kate couldn't breathe. She felt like she was trapped in some horror movie. This was all so incredibly wrong. Beyond wrong. She didn't want to believe. But oddly enough, she didn't care that Will had cheated on her with her best friend. What irked her more was the fact that her best friend had had an affair with her then boyfriend. How could Maddie do that to her and still look her in the eye? Suddenly all of Maddie's odd behavior over the course of the weekend started to make sense.

"Oh God," Kate mumbled.

"Kate," Will said, moving closer. He placed his hands on her shoulders. "I'm so sorry. But you said I should tell you the truth."

Angry, Kate shoved him away and darted towards the stairs. He called after her. She stopped dead and turned back around. Her jaw stiffened and she looked at him, her face filled with loathing. She held up a hand, begging for him to stop. Just stop. He did. He stood there before her, waiting for her judgment.

She started to speak, but stopped, regaining control of her emotions. "God, Will… I wasted _so long_ grieving this," Kate said, barely containing her anger. She laughed. She was so close to tears that the sound caught in her throat. She shook her head and waved her hand dismissively. Then she turned and, almost mechanically, walked up the stairs.

Kate moved mindlessly, like a sleepwalker, through the house until she emerged back out into the south lawn garden. Everyone was still talking and laughing cheerily. It made her angry. She blinked, coming back to her senses, and looked around for Castle. But she couldn't find him anywhere. He wasn't where she'd left him. Not knowing what else to do, Kate drifted towards the table. She heard a noise behind her, and turned hoping to see Castle, but it was Will. She turned away from him and bumped into Sally.

"Hey, watch—Oh, he told you, didn't he?" the woman said with a happy little smirk.

"You _knew_?" Kate growled.

"Of course I did," Sally said with scowl. " _I'm_ Maddie's best friend. She _talks_ to me. I should have been maid of honor. Not you."

Not wanting to deal Sally's attitude, Kate turned away from her. She'd never liked her. Kate spun around, realizing everyone had stopped talking and were watching the scene unfold. Kate bit her lower lip and turned, spotting Maddie standing next to Harry, in the middle of sharing a spoonful of tiramisu. The bride-to-be met her gaze and instantly understood what was going on.

Much to Harry's confusion, Maddie dropped the spoon and rushed towards Kate. She grabbed Kate's hands and looked at her with desperation in her eyes. "Please, Kate… don't say anything," she begged. " _Please_."

Kate stared at Maddie like she was looking at a complete stranger. Maddie's eyes were wild, silently pleading. Kate shook her head. She had never felt so alone. She shoved Maddie's hands back, and then turned away from her, looking for Castle. She needed him. She needed him now more than ever.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Castle appeared from inside the house. He looked around and immediately took measure of the situation. He went straight for Kate, folding her up in his arms. Kate fell into his embrace, holding on for dear life. He was her anchor, her rock… her solid ground.

"I can't believe you told her!" Maddie hissed from beyond her. And it took a moment for Kate to realize that her exclamation wasn't directed at Will, but at Castle.

Kate pulled away from his embrace, brow furrowed, thoroughly baffled. What was going on? And then she saw it. It was written all over his face. He'd known. God. Somehow, he'd known. Her breath caught in her throat and her heart sunk with utter disappointment. She stumbled back, feeling an overwhelming sense of betrayal. Everything else seemed faded, miles away.

"What's going on?" she vaguely heard Harry ask.

"Um… nothing," Will responded as casually as possible.

"Doesn't look like nothing," Harry said with a frown.

Kate shook her head, and stared at Castle, seeing him through blurry vision as her eyes began to water. Rebekah and Bernard, as with everyone else attending the rehearsal dinner, watched from the table, confused, as Kate turned away and started to run across the south lawn, heading towards the grove of trees in the distance and the lakeshore beyond. She couldn't be there. Not now. She just needed to get away and be alone. Only then, could she make sense of it all.


	17. Chapter 17

**The Wedding Date**

* * *

 _ **Chapter 17**_

* * *

Ignoring the questioning looks from the other guests around the table, Castle ran after Kate. He dove between the trees, pumping his legs and swinging his arms, desperate to catch up with her. He had to. There was no question about it. Castle couldn't just leave it like that. Twilight was upon them, and the moon was bright and big in the night sky. The faded light filtered through the canopy of trees overhead, providing very little illumination for the path ahead. His heart pumped frantically beneath his chest, concerned that the lack of visibility under the trees might result in Kate accidentally injuring herself as she rushed blindly ahead.

"Kate!" he yelled, unashamed of the desperation seeping through his voice. He had to find her, so he could explain, then comfort and love her.

Placing a hand on the side of a tree, Castle turned right, catching sight of her staggering ahead down a moonlit lane. By the way her shoulders shook, he could tell that she was barely staving off a breakdown. His heart clenched for her. She didn't deserve this. Any of this. Castle longed to hold her close and take away her pain.

"Kate!" he shouted her name again once he was closer.

The way her head jerked informed him that she had heard him and was aware of his presence. Yet she chose to ignore him, charging blindly forward down the pathway, stumbling slightly on a loose cobblestone.

"Come on, Kate," he called after her. "Don't be—"

She spun around, eyes wild, teeming with anger as tears streamed down her beautiful face. "What!?" she growled, her frustration spilling over. Kate shook her head as she stared at him as if she was seeing him for the first time. "I can't believe I trusted you. How could you not tell me?"

Castle knew that she wasn't angry at him, not really. For the moment, he was just a proxy for her ex-boyfriend. Yet still knowing and understanding that didn't necessarily prevent him from feeling equally frustrated with the turn in events. He hated the whole situation.

"Jesus, Kate!" he spat angrily, throwing up his arms, momentarily losing his cool. "What did you want me to say? That your best friend slept with your ex-boyfriend? That neither one of them seemed to respect you enough to tell you?"

He released a deep breath, feeling his chest fill with it. He was not used to being angry. This wasn't him. He didn't get frustrated like this. In all his years as a professional escort, he had never felt like this. His life was hardly ever this complicated, but if it could still have Kate in it… then damn it, he'd take complicated over anything. As long as he could still have Kate.

Castle shifted on his feet, growing uneasy under her intense stare. "Besides," he hedged, looking for a way out of this argument with his usual coping mechanism of humor, hoping to at least coax a smile out of her, "you hired me for my discretion."

She did not smile. She did the opposite. A frown marred her beautiful face. Kate folded her arms under her breasts, and scoffed. "You've always got that to hide behind, don't you?" Her lips curled into a snarl. "It's just business to you!"

Castle staggered back. It was like he'd just taken a punch to the gut. He glanced at her with a pained look. He wondered if she knew just how much that had hurt. Was that how she really felt? He shook his head and heaved in a deep breath, trying to regain his calm and remember why he'd followed her out here.

"You don't really mean that, Kate," he said, restraining his own frustration with the situation and conversation.

"You _knew_!" she hissed, jabbing him in the chest with a finger. "You knew and you didn't tell me. You let me make a fool of myself." She huffed and paced backwards, shaking her head and wiping at her face. "You lied to me! I don't know why that surprises me because lying is what you do. It's your job. It's who you are."

"That's bullshit, Kate, and you know it," Castle snapped back. "Everything that has happened between us has been real." He paused, his eyebrows knitting together as he averted his eyes momentarily in thought. "At least for me."

Kate sniffled, and averted her gaze, letting her hair fall down to conceal her face.

"God, Kate," he said in a softer voice, taking two steps backwards in disbelief. "Please tell me it wasn't completely one sided?"

She shook her head, not really answering him, bringing her arms up to hug herself as she pointedly didn't look at him.

"Kate?" he all but pleaded, needing her to answer him. But she didn't. She just stood there, staring at the ground, stubbornly refusing to answer him. Done with her act, he grabbed her arms in desperate mood to get her to listen. "Damn it, Kate, talk to me. What we have… it's real. At least to me."

Her eyes jerked up to meet his. Hot tears streamed down her face. She shrugged out his hold and took a step back, putting more distance between them. "You lie for a living! How would you even _know_ if something were real?" Kate spat out harshly.

Castle let out an exasperated sigh and shook his head in disappointment.

"Fine," he said after a long beat. If this was how she wanted to do things, then that's how they'd do it. "For all I know, come Monday morning, we'll go back to the real world and… and you'll be hiring me to be your best friend! I thought we were more than that. But I guess not. I guess all you need is a warm body so you don't feel so lonely at night."

That was cruel. And he knew it, but her insinuations that all he did was lie for a living had hurt—more than he'd care to admit—and despite his initial intentions to comfort her, he couldn't stop himself from lashing out. She didn't deserve it. But neither did he. Maybe it was all just a dream. He felt like such a fool for even thinking that a woman as extraordinary as Kate could ever see him as more than a hired escort.

He shook his head and scrubbed a hand down his face. "I mean, come on, Kate," he said, letting his insecurities and fears get the better of him. "Who were we kidding? We were never going to actually become a couple. It was a silly, stupid dream."

He wanted her to deny it, to tell him that it wasn't a dream, and that it had all be real. But she didn't. Instead Kate merely pursed her lips and swallowed. He watched her throat bob with the motion, entranced by it. He always would be when it came to her. Her face betrayed nothing, yet her eyes shone with a fierceness that had him shrinking back, if just a little.

"You let me make a complete fool of myself," Kate repeated her statement from earlier in the argument. "You've told me yourself. You put on an act with clients. How do I even know what is real with you? You _do_ lie for your job. God… I can't believe I slept with you."

Castle growled with indignation. " _You're_ judging _me_!?" he scoffed. "Oh, that's rich. You're lying to me, you're lying to your family, and you're lying to yourself."

Kate remained silent.

"Yeah," he nodded, meeting her heated gaze. "You go on standing there and point a finger at me—the man _you_ hired to pretend to be your boyfriend. Who's lying to who, Kate?"

After a long, tense moment, Kate's shoulders slumped as she gave up, averting her eyes. "You're right," she said in a quiet, defeated voice. "I was so desperate to make everyone believe I was happy that I spend six grand on a lie." She paused for a breath, forcing herself to look back up at him. "And after all that? The only one who ended up falling for it was me."

"Go ahead, Kate, hate me," Castle said, deflating inside. How had everything gone so inexplicably wrong? "You were running out of steam on the whole Will thing long before I came along. Maybe now you'll be able to hold on to this just long enough to ruin your next relationship."

Castle sighed, carding his fingers through his hair, finished. He had had enough of this fight. He frowned as he looked at her. He did care for her, more than he'd ever thought possible, but she was just too difficult, too broken. He usually liked a challenge, but this… this was just impossible. He shook his head and stared up at her for a long beat.

"You could be happy, Kate," he said softly, sincerely. "You deserve to be happy. But you're afraid."

Kate narrowed her eyes as she glared back at him. Her chest heaved enticingly and Castle had to force himself to maintain eye contact. It was hard not to shrink back from her heated gaze, though he stood his ground beneath her righteous fury.

"You know what we are, Castle?" she growled, seething with anger. "We are over. You're fired. Now leave me alone!"

Castle stared at her in disbelief. He couldn't believe what he just heard. He opened his mouth to respond, but closed it when he noticed the unrelenting look on her face. He shook his head, and held up his hands in surrender.

"Fine," he said. "Be alone. It's what you're best at it."

And before she could respond, Castle turned and walked away without looking back, leaving Kate stunned.

XXX

Moonlight washed over Rick Castle as he carried his packed suitcase down the pathway leading from the house to the large driveway of the country estate. He stopped halfway towards a cluster of parked cars when he remembered that he and Kate had carpooled with the Wentworth-Thymes. He stood there for a long moment, still baffled over how things had gone wrong so fast. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, contemplating his next move.

Behind him the front door burst open and Harry came out to join him on the gravel driveway, jogging to catch up.

"Rick!" the groom called after him.

Castle arched his neck and looked over his shoulder at the other man. He offered him a thin smile, appreciating the concern.

"I'll just check into a hotel," Castle assured, not wanting to ruin the other man's upcoming nuptials.

"Don't be ridiculous, it's late," Harry said, shaking his head, dismissing the idea. But when he saw no change in Castle, he sighed. "Ok, just take my car." He dug into his pocket and found his keys. "Better yet, why don't you go to the boathouse. It's empty right now. Stay there for the night."

Castle inclined his head in agreement and accepted the keys with a nod of gratitude.

"Look," Harry continued, brow furrowing with genuine worry. "I don't know what's going on with you two, but I'm sure it'll work out. You couldn't be more perfect for her if she had picked you out of a catalogue."

Castle smiled at that, finding it amusing just how close that statement was to the truth. "Thanks, Harry," he said, shaking the other man's hand. He then tossed his luggage into the backseat of the car, and then climbed in. "I'll see you tomorrow."

XXX

Kate stood at the window, hiding behind the curtain, watching as Harry ran after Castle and talked with him. She sniffled and wiped at her puffy eyes. Harry handed Castle the keys to his car and then her fake boyfriend drove away. Letting the curtain fall back over the window, Kate turned around, and wrapped her arms around herself. She wished she could take it all back. She hadn't meant to say the things she had, to push him away. But that's what she'd done.

Sighing, Kate carded her fingers through her hair and paced back to the bed. She plopped down on the edge, shoulders slumped in defeat, and buried her face in her hands, so very close to breaking down all over again. But now her heartache wasn't over how oblivious she'd been to Will and Maddie's affair, instead her heart wrenched at the prospect that she had just destroyed something special she had just started to build with Richard Castle.

A knock came from the door, and Kate straightened her back.

"Come in," she called, pleased that her voice didn't sound as broken as she felt.

The door opened and Maddie walked in, head appropriately lowered in apologetic shame. "Hey," she said.

"Hey," Kate echoed with a sniff. She looked down at her lap.

An awkward silence filled the room. Kate didn't know how to feel about being alone with her best friend—if that term really even applied anymore considering what Maddie had done. It felt like everything she'd believed in had been a lie. Kate didn't know what to think, or how to react. Mostly, she was just heartbroken over messing up her relationship with Castle.

"I just wanted to say thank you," Maddie broke the silence between them.

"For what?" Kate asked, glancing up in confusion.

"For not outing me in front of Harry," Maddie explained with a grimace. "I want to tell him. I do. Just not on the night before our wedding. With these kind of things… well, timing is everything."

"You're right," Kate answered with a stern expression, gracing Maddie with a pointed look. "You should really time it right so when he hears that you repeatedly fucked his best friend, he doesn't feel like the world is collapsing around him and there's no escape because you tricked him into marrying you."

Maddie clearly wasn't ready for her intensity, and a small part of Kate was pleased when the other woman took a step back towards the door.

"You know what?" Maddie huffed. "I'm not having this conversation right now."

"Sure, disappear," Kate snapped. "We've been walking away our whole lives."

That stopped her. Maddie turned back around to face Kate.

"Look," Kate said with a sigh, standing up off the edge of the bed. "I'm not even going to discuss the fact that you slept with my boyfriend because you've always been a spoiled, amoral, little princess."

Maddie's mouth dropped in shock. Her eyes went wide, completely unprepared for such an assault from Kate.

"But I put up with all of it because I really believed that deep down, you loved me and you were a good person," Kate said with a small smile. "You were there for me when I need you most. You shared your parents with me, let me become a part of your family. It's almost like we could be sisters."

"Kate…"

"No, please, I need to say this," she went on. "After all you've done for me, I really thought you deserved someone like Harry. God, Maddie, I envied you guys. I wanted to be like that. I want to be happy and in love with a man who deserves it and loves me back unconditionally, without condition or deception. Just loves me for me. For who I am. Loves me as an equal partner in our relationship. And I thought that's what you had with Harry. Somehow, he made your selfish bullshit seem okay. Almost endearing."

Tears were now forming in Maddie's eyes.

"And now I know," Kate wrapped up. "You didn't deserve any of it. You were just lucky." She let out a sigh and glanced at Maddie with sad, disappointed eyes. "Don't worry, Maddie. Your wedding will be perfect. Tomorrow, I'll smile and say all the right things and you'll deal with Harry when you're ready. But right now, tonight, I can't pretend it's okay. Not because you betrayed my trust and slept with Will while he was still my boyfriend—well, okay, a little because of that, yes—but mainly because your actions may have cost me something better."

Struck dumb by Kate's tirade, Maddie inclined her head, and silently turned away. As she exited the room, her shoulders started to shake. She was crying. Kate's reflex was to go to her, but she stopped herself. No. It was too soon to forgive. Kate held firm and watched Maddie leave. And when she was gone, Kate padded over and closed the door.

Alone at last, Kate stripped out of her clothes, and collapsed on the bed, finally allowing herself to mourn the death of a relationship that had only just begun. Rolling onto her back, she gazed up at the ceiling, staring at nothing.

XXX

It felt wrong to be there, in the place Kate had been betrayed, where he'd made the decision to hold his tongue. Castle sighed and rubbed the back of his neck as he slumped down into the lounge chair on the deck overlooking the lake. He couldn't bring himself to unfold the futon inside the boathouse, knowing what it had been used to do and by whom.

He took a swig of the beer he'd found stocked in the old, humming refrigerator he'd found in the small kitchenette. He grimaced at the flavor, and pulled the bottle back to look at the label again. Some British brand he'd never heard of. He shrugged and took another long gulp. He usually didn't drink beer, favoring a good merlot instead, but tonight he felt he could make an exception. His heart clenched with the emotional pain of it all. He was pretty sure that he was in love with Kate, yet she'd made it clear she didn't want anything with him. It left him feeling empty.

His phone buzzed, signaling the arrival of a text message.

Castle leaned forward and dug around in his pocket for the offending device. He swiped his thumb across the screen and clicked it open to the messages, seeing a confirmation notice for a flight back to New York scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. He let out a sigh and closed the phone, shoving it back into his pocket. Raising the bottle, he took another long sip, and gazed up at the sparkling night sky… staring at nothing.


	18. Chapter 18

**The Wedding Date**

* * *

 **Chapter 18**

* * *

Kate sat still in front of the tabletop vanity mirror, double checking the work she had done over the last half an hour. Her make-up was flawless and her hair was perfectly styled, yet her eyes were clouded with pain and heartache. She sighed. She did not get much sleep, tossing and turn most of the night. Her troubled thoughts kept straying to Castle and the mess she'd made of the blossoming relationship she'd had with him.

Part of her wished she'd never hired him to be her fake boyfriend, while the other part—the vast majority, to be honest—wished that he had actually been her real boyfriend. She regretted the things she'd said to him last night. She'd just been overwhelmed by the revelation that Will and Maddie had betrayed her to such an extent. It had been a terrible mistake to lay that all at the feet of Castle. He didn't deserve that. He was right. She _had_ hired him for his discretion. It was wrong of her to blame him for her friend's actions.

She should have run after him instead of watching him drive away. She should… well, she should have done a number of things differently. But it was too late to change all that.

She sighed.

Despite his profession, which she still found morally questionable, Richard Castle was a fine and decent man. And she didn't deserve him.

Satisfied with her appearance, Kate stood up and adjusted the fuchsia colored gown Maddie had selected for her bridesmaids. It clung to her body just right, showing off her trim and slender figure. She pursed her lips and stared blankly at her reflection. All she could think about was what Castle would have thought when he saw her in this dress. Would he have thought she looked beautiful? She longed for his input. It was the first time since high school that Kate could ever remember being concerned over what someone thought of her appearance.

Her eyes began to water as the raw emotion rolled up like waves inside her. She blinked furiously to hold it at bay, not wanting to ruin her make-up. She'd already ruined everything. He was already gone. She just needed to make it through the ceremony and reception, and then when she was alone at last, she could properly mourn her loss.

Kate frowned as she gazed at her reflection. No. No. That was just stupid and silly. Kate Beckett did not cry over some man. No. Never. Kate Beckett got the job done. She kicked ass and took names. She was a badass. Yet, she could not deny the hollow feeling inside her chest, like her heart had been ripped out. Despite her best efforts, Kate had fallen for her ruggedly handsome escort. The truth of the matter was that while pretending to be her boyfriend Castle had been more genuine and sincere with her than any of her previous boyfriends.

She sighed, relenting to the truth. She had lied to him. She did not regret sleeping with him. The opposite, in fact. Kate had never felt more alive than she had the night she'd spent in his arms. The way he had touched her, held her, she was positive it had been more than just sex for him. It was for her. Kate liked sex, a lot. But what they did that night felt more akin to lovemaking than it did to just sex. And now she craved him—not just his touch, but his presence. It was startling, really. But in just the few days she had known him, Richard Castle had become someone extremely special to her.

And she'd gone and ruined it.

 _You know what we are, Castle. We are over. You're fired. Now leave me alone._

Her own words haunted her. Kate groaned, slumping back down into that chair, and scrubbing her hands up and down her face.

 _Fine_ , he had said. _Be alone. It's what you're best at._

She'd really messed up this time.

There was a quick knock on the door, and without any further preamble, Rebekah was pushing it open and striding into the room.

"Kate, darling, are you finished yet…," her voice trailed off when she noticed Kate's sorrowful appearance. "Oh, honey, how you doing?"

"I'm okay," Kate managed after a brief sniffle, forcing a reassuring smile onto her lips.

Rebekah scrutinized her with a skeptical expression. "I don't believe you."

"No, I'm fine, really," Kate asserted. She sat up straighter, busying herself with touching up her makeup. She carefully applied some lipstick, stalling for time. Finished, she glanced up at Rebekah, ignoring the older woman's motherly concern. "Anyway, it doesn't matter," she dismissed it. "Today is Maddie's day."

Rebekah pursed her lips, still looking unconvinced, but relented with a nod. "Okay, sweetie," she patted Kate's shoulder. "We're gathering downstairs when you're ready."

Kate nodded, and silently watched as Rebekah departed the room, closing the door behind her. Left alone, Kate hung her head, allowing herself a brief moment to feel the melancholy welling up inside her. And then she took a deep breath, stifling it all down as she erected a familiar wall around her heart, hiding behind a brave mask. Kate stared at her reflection.

Now she was ready.

XXX

Castle zipped up his suitcase having finished rearranging its contents. He straightened up and sighed as he brushed back some hair that had flopped down over his forehead. Glancing over his shoulder, Castle looked back out at the lake, squinting his eyes, just barely making out a troop of automobiles departing from the estate grounds, dust trailing in their wake. He flicked his hand up and checked his wristwatch to see what time it was. The wedding was in four hours. Frowning, he stared back out at the lake, battling the turmoil waging inside him.

This entire trip had definitely not gone as planned. For one thing, he had never intended to fall in love with his client. Castle had been attracted to clients before, but he had never allowed real, raw emotions to get in the way of the job. But things were entirely different with Kate Beckett. There had been an instant spark between them when they first met. The attraction was more than just physical. If they had met in another life, where he wasn't strapped down with the negative connotations of his profession—where perhaps he'd never failed as a writer—then maybe things could have been different. Maybe, just maybe, they could have had something.

However, despite what he may hope, that wasn't how it really was. He sighed, long and hard, almost regretting the decision to answer her initial call and accepting her offer. But he could not. He would not. In spite of the heartache he was currently experiencing, Castle would never regret meeting Detective Kate Beckett and getting know her on a personal—and intimate—level. She had her hard edges, and was a complicated woman. Yet she left him breathless. She was a mystery he'd never solve. Even knowing her for such a brief time, he felt like he'd known her all his life. He was amazed at her strength, her heart… and her hotness.

Castle's lips tugged upwards in the smallest of smiles, though still touched by a tinge of sadness. He shook his head. "If wishes were horses," he mumbled to himself. But wishing for something didn't make it real.

With one last sigh, Castle pulled the strap of his bag over his shoulder and turned to leave.

XXX

Kate entered one of the adjacent rooms at St. Peter's Parish Church that had been assigned to the bride and the bridesmaids as a place where they could wait for the start of the ceremony. Sally and the others were already there, each one looking sharp and pretty in their fuchsia colored dresses. The wedding planner and her associates were scurrying about the group applying last minute touches to the flower arrangements each bridesmaid had pinned into their styled hairdos. Almost as soon as she had entered the room, a forty-something woman with faded blonde hair in a pixie fashion grabbed Kate and ushered her into a free space besides the bride.

Pursing her lips, Kate willed her self-control to stay strong. She stared blankly ahead, ignoring the hairstylist as she applied the fresh flowers on the pin in her hair.

Standing next to her, Kate noticed that Madison Queller was fussing over her dress, adjusting the cascade skirt around her legs and rolling her shoulders as she anxiously took deep breaths. Kate tilted her head—much to the annoyance of the hairstylist, who immediately corrected her—and watched the bride's nervous movements. Maddie caught her look, and offered her an apprehensive smile, which Kate returned, the events of the previous night still fresh in both their minds. Yet even with all the awkwardness between them, Kate had to admit that her friend did look beautiful.

"Wow, Maddie, you're glowing," Kate said, breaking the silence in an attempt to be a good friend. Despite her hurt and anger, she was determined to remain strong and allow Maddie to have this day.

"Yeah?" Maddie laughed nervously. "Well, most important day of my life, right?"

Kate nodded, furrowing her brow as she recalled of their discussion for the previous night. She wondered if Maddie had even thought of telling Harry the truth.

Maddie's blue eyes flirted back and forth between to the two stylists working on them, and after a brief moment of indecision, asked them for some privacy. After they had stepped away, Maddie leaned towards Kate.

"Listen, Kate, I chose you to be my Maid of Honor for a lot of reasons," she started in a hushed tone. "You're my oldest friend and I love you like a sister. But the main reason I picked you was because you've been so miserable for the past few years, and like the selfish bitch I've been, I knew you wouldn't outshine me."

Kate raised her eyebrows, surprised by the burst of honesty coming from her friend.

"But here it is, my big day," Maddie made a gesture to encompass the entire church. "And something doesn't feel right." She hung her head down and released a long breath. "Maybe it was that _pep talk_ you gave me last night. I don't know. But seeing how miserable you are now just isn't what I had thought it would be. And you're right. I should tell Harry. And I will. I promise."

Maddie paused for breath, desperately trying to keep up her tough attitude, but the façade was already starting to slip. Their gazes slowly met, and Kate was startled at the depth of regret she saw clouding her friend's eyes.

"It was a horrible thing I did to you, Kate," Maddie said in a soft voice, genuine and sincere. "I'm really sorry." She reached for Kate's hand, offering a brief squeeze, before letting go. "I know you hate me right now, and rightly so. I've been such a terrible friend. The worse. But right now, on my wedding day, Kate, all I want is for you to be happy."

Kate pursed her lips and swallowed, uncertain what exactly Maddie was trying to tell her. She looked at her with a perplexed expression, which her friend read perfectly.

"Don't give him up, Kate," Maddie offered her a warm smile.

XXX

Castle had decided to leave the top down on the convertible he had borrowed from Harry, wanting to feel the wind in his hair. It was liberating, as if the country air could help cleanse him of his broken heart and hurt feelings. Castle closed his eyes briefly, savoring the all too fleeting moment. And then it was gone, the devastating truth crashing down over him once again, dampening his mood like a dark cloud blotting out the bright sunlight.

He had been such a fool. He had broken the cardinal rule of his profession and developed real feelings for his client. Never once in all his years as an escort had he made such a colossal mistake. If his own personal past had taught him anything, he should have known better. Kate wasn't the only one with walls. His were just subtler, hidden better. He sought to protect himself, just like she did. Yet he allowed his defenses to slip down when he was around her. He allowed her in, and she took it all. And then she crushed him.

 _You put on an act with clients. How do I even know what is real with you? You do lie for your job. God… I can't believe I slept with you._

Her words haunted him. He clenched his jaw and tried to focus on the road ahead, ignoring the tumult of emotions battling inside his head and bruised heart. There was no denying the truth. He loved her. In spite of all the hurt, he loved her. He had loved once before. And he'd been burnt… just like now. Perhaps that was his lot in life. No one could love him the way he wished, so he chose a profession where he could pretend he was loved. But it was all a lie. Fake. Not real. His clients didn't want his love. That's not why they hired him.

He sighed with a shake of his head, and steered the car down the long windy road, leaving the country estate—and Kate—in his rearview.

XXX

Kate pushed open the heavy oaken doors and wandered out into the bright and cozy flower garden alongside the church grounds. She wrapped her arms around herself, and wandered down a cobbled path, finding a secluded spot under a tree with a stone bench. She sat down, not caring if she got her dress dirty or wrinkled. Closing her eyes, she breathed in deeply of the fresh country air. She needed some alone time to process everything Maddie had said.

Truthfully, Kate was still astonished her friend had admitted as much as she had. But the thing that stuck with her was Maddie's last assertion:

 _But right now, on my wedding day, Kate, all I want is for you to be happy._

 _Don't give him up, Kate._

She wished she could. Though, she was afraid it was already too late. Kate let out a long sigh and buried her head in her hands, trying to maintain some control over her emotions. Why was it that nothing ever went as planned? She had never intended to fall for her handsome escort. Everything that had happened between them had just… well… had just happened. It was natural. It was real.

And she'd blown it.

Kate pursed her lips and glared down at the grassy ground. Maybe she was destined to be alone. Relationships just weren't for her. Seeing how her relationship with Will hadn't really been as great as she'd thought it had been before their breakup, maybe she should just give up on love.

It was then that Castle's words from last night came back to her. _You could be happy, Kate. You deserve to be happy. But you're afraid._

He was right. She was afraid. Ever since her mother died she had locked herself away emotionally, held people at arm's length, not wanting to get close to anyone in fear that she'd lose them and get hurt. She never wanted to get hurt again, not like that. Yet here she was, causing the heartache herself by doing the same thing she'd always done in a misguided attempt to protect herself from this very kind of pain.

"Hello there."

Kate let out a startled gasp as she jerked her head up, relaxing when she saw the kind, fatherly face of Bernard. The older man offered her a small smile and gestured to the spot next to her on the stone bench.

"I've been looking for you. May I sit?"

She acquiesced with a small nod.

Bernard sat down with a quiet huff, rubbing his aging knees. He breathed in deeply of the fresh air and looked at her with curious expression.

"So… why'd you let him go?" he asked at length.

"It's complicated, Bernard," Kate replied, averting her eyes and playing with her fingers.

"Oh, well, then," he shrugged dramatically. "It probably won't work out." He shifted and turned to face her, his voice now full of meaning. "I read a fascinating article in _First Press_ a month or two ago. This guy said: _Every woman has the exact love life she wants_. You know what? I agree. But I refuse to believe that _this_ is what you want, Kate."

She looked at him with big, watery eyes, pursing her lips and swallowing down past the lump of emotion that had suddenly manifested in her throat.

"Ever since I've known you, Kate," Bernard continued, "you've been trying to please other people. You prioritize. You put others first. Always. It's what you do with your job as a cop. Getting justice for the victims and their families comes first. Now I'm not saying that's a bad thing, I'm not. It's quite admirable, what you do. But, Kate, you can't neglect yourself. You and your happiness is just as important. And I'm sure your mother would agree."

Kate inhaled sharply, feeling her shoulders shake a bit at the mention of her mother. Bernard shifted and brought his arm around her, pulling her into a half embrace. She went willingly, canting into his side. She closed her eyes and relished his fatherly presence.

"So tell me, is this the guy for you?"

Kate did not even have to think before answering. "Yes."

Bernard smiled, and gently coaxed her back up. He caressed the side of her face in a loving, paternal manner. "Then for once in your life, do something for yourself." He paused and a mischievous look passed over his face. "Harry told me he was staying in the boathouse. If you hurry, you can stop him before he leaves." He grinned wider. "Go get him, Kate."

Her lips broke out into a soft smile, and she gazed up at Bernard with gratitude, so very thankful to have this wonderful and caring man in her life. She met his eyes and nodded, leaning forward to press a kiss to his cheek. Her decision was made. She was going to go after Castle and win him back. Whatever it took. Because the truth was she really did love him. And it wasn't some fantasy or imagining her lonely soul had conjured up. It was real. Her smile grew at the realization. She was in love. She was in love with Richard Castle.


	19. Chapter 19

**The Wedding Date**

* * *

 **Chapter 19**

* * *

Madison Queller paced nervously in an annex room within St. Peter's Parish Church. A myriad of thoughts ran through her head, but one idea held firm, unyielding. She had to do this despite the consequences. Kate was right. It was the right thing to do. She could not start a marriage on a lie. The sound of the door opening pulled her attention back to the present, and she spun around to greet her visitor.

It was Harry, holding his hand over his eyes so that he wouldn't see her dress. She smiled at the sight of him being so traditional. It was one of the things she loved about him. And she did. She really did love him. It still blew her away, the fact that she had fallen so hard for a guy like Harrison Wentworth-Thymes. He wasn't what had always been her type. That had been Will Sorenson. But Harry made her heart race with just his presence. He loved her without condition. And that's why he deserved to know the truth. It was only right.

"Your mother said you wanted a quick word," Harry said, still keeping his eyes shield as he stepped into the room.

Maddie pursed her lips and walked over to meet him halfway. She took his hands in hers and gently lowered them from his eyes. Harry immediately read the conflicting emotion washing over her face, because his delighted smile faltered. He could tell something was wrong.

"What is it?" he asked.

Maddie swallowed, stifling down her doubts. She took a deep breath and looked him directly in the eyes. "I have something to tell you."

XXX

The car skidded to a stop, kicking up gravel. Kate shoved the door open and stumbled out, temporarily losing her footing. She grabbed the car door for support and pulled herself back up, catching her balance. Reaching down, she kicked off her high heels, tossing them back into the car before she took off down the cobbled pathway that led to the boathouse.

Kate raced through the woods, clutching the fuchsia fabric of her dress tightly in an attempt to keep the gown from catching on the branches that whipped at her from all sides. She ducked her head and darted around a bush, going off the windy cobbled path to make a beeline for the boathouse. She could just make out the shape of the structure through the thick copse of trees.

After a few more maneuvers, Kate burst out into the clearing, her hair tousled and her dress nightmarish. Her chest heaved while she tried catching her breath as she frantically stared up to the porch of the boathouse. But it was all wrong. The place looked empty. This was supposed to be the part where she glimpsed Castle through the windows and they then lived happily ever after.

Not wasting another second, a determined Kate rushed up the small steps and yanked the front door opened. She dashed inside, shouting Castle's name, desperately searching every room within the boathouse for any sign of the man she loved. By the time she reached the folded-up futon and the large bay window that looked out onto the lake, she knew her search was in vain. The place was empty. Castle was not there. She'd missed him. He'd already left.

A strangled sobbed escaped her throat as she slumped down onto the futon. She buried her face in her hands, surrendering to her complete and utter failure at reaching him in time. She'd waited too long, allowing her stupid stubbornness to get in the way of her happiness. Shaking her head, she gazed down at the coffee table, noticing that there was a thick envelope sitting there. Her name was scrawled across the front in an elegant hand.

Kate snatched it up off the table and turned it over, opening it. Inside she found thick stacks of cash. Written on the inner flap of the envelope, also in his elegant handwriting was another message. Kate had to squint through the welling up of tears in her eyes to read it.

 _It's all here, trust me_.

Her heart clenched with raw emotion, and a laugh came, unbidden, from her mouth. She sniffled and wiped at the tears leaking from her eyes, shaking her head in both astonishment and grief. It amazed her how well Castle knew her. She crushed the pack of money to her heaving breast as if it were a cherished heirloom. He may have already gone, but the fact he had also left behind the money she'd paid him with was, at least to her, a positive sign that Castle really did care for her.

Kate was devastated she'd missed him. However, at the same time, she felt a burst of optimism infuse her ravaged soul. She wasn't ready to admit defeat. This was only a minor setback. Once she managed to return to New York, Kate would track Castle down, offer him a proper apology for her harsh and rash words, and also confess her true feelings… her love for him. She just had to hope that he would be in a receptive mood to accept. But one thing was certain, Kate Beckett was not giving up.

XXX

Maddie faced Harry with red and puffy eyes. Confessing the truth to him had been a lot more difficult than she had thought. But it had been the right thing to do. She loved him fiercely, and he deserved to know the truth. It was only right. Now, all she could do was hope that her past actions had not completely destroyed their relationship.

"I was too scared to tell you," she tried to explain in a voice heavy with regret and remorse, shame sprinkled in there as well. "I thought you'd never speak to me again. I…" she choked up with emotion. "I'm so sorry."

Harry just stood there, no doubt reeling from the news she'd just hit him with. He stared at her, saying nothing. His expression was unreadable. It was like he'd gone into shock. Maddie didn't blame him, but her nerves were driving her insane. The silence was killing her.

"Harry," she pleaded, unashamed of the desperation that cracked through her voice. "Say something. Please."

Her fiancé blinked his eyes, coming out of his daze. He fumbled backwards, carding his fingers through his neatly combed hair. He scrubbed his hand down his face, and heaved in a deep breath. His eyes startled up to meet hers.

"I always knew you were seeing someone else when we started dating," he finally spoke. "I'd made my peace with that, because in the end, you chose me. But I… I just… I never in a million years would have dreamt it was Will." Harry shook his head, trying to understand. "Does Kate know?"

Maddie nodded. "Will told her last night."

"Last night?" Harry gasped, rubbing the back of his head. His eyebrows knitted together in thought as he recalled the incident that happened between Kate and Castle the previous night at the rehearsal dinner. The realization struck him like a lightning bolt. He glowered, and a low growl escaped his throat. Harry turned around and glared at the close door. "The worthless bastard!"

Harry slammed through the door on his way out of the room. He staggered down the small hall, Maddie following in his wake. She was terrified he was going to leave her, but his mind seemed focus elsewhere. They burst out into the sanctuary, and Harry charged up the aisle, past the pews full of guests. The gathered family and friends murmured in surprise and confusion at seeing the seething groom and the distraught bride. Harry picked up the pace, marching right down the aisle towards his intended target.

Will Sorenson stood at the altar, oblivious to the incoming danger, chatting with Sally Perkins. Maddie stopped halfway down the aisle, her hand clutching her heaving bosom as she watched the scene unfold. Her mother stood up from her spot and looked at her questioningly, before following her gaze to the altar and the steamrolling Harry.

"You bastard!" Harry shouted, causing several guests to gasp at his language in a place of worship. Will turned at the commotion just in time for Harry's fist to meet his face.

Startled by the unexpected strike, Will stumbled back, clutching his hurt jaw. He blinked his eyes and shook his head. His brow furrowed in confusion until he finally caught sight of Maddie standing in the center of the aisle, tears streaming down her face as she gazed devastatingly at an enraged Harry. He'd never seen his friend so angry before. It was a scary sight. After that, it did not take Will long to connect the dots and realize that the truth had come out. He looked at his best friend, and attempted to placate him with raised hands, but Harry was having none of it.

There was only one thing Will could do. He ran.

XXX

Castle fiddled with the dial on the radio, but couldn't find anything really interesting to listen to. Besides, his mind was elsewhere. He couldn't stop himself from thinking about Kate. He had never experienced this before. Well, that wasn't entirely true. He had been in love once before, with Kyra Blaine. He'd been younger then, less mature. But he had been in love with Kyra. He knew that. She was his first. For the longest time Castle had thought that she would also be his only love. But then Kate Beckett walked into his life, and everything changed.

Deciding to just leave the radio off, Castle focused on driving. He drove casually down the curvy country lanes as he entered the small township, not really in any hurry to leave despite the fact he did have a flight to catch. There was a part of him that didn't want to go. It was fighting him, trying to get him to stop and turn around, and give it another go with Kate. They had both said things in the heat of the moment, things he was sure they both regretted.

As he steered the convertible through a roundabout in the center of the town, Castle caught sight of something in his periphery. Frowning, he glanced up into the rearview mirror to investigate. Just then, he glimpsed something in his periphery once again. Intrigued, Castle eased his foot off the accelerator, and arched his neck to see what it was. He let out a little chuckle when he saw Harry chasing Will down the road. So, the cat was out of the bag. He watched as Harry lunged for Will, catching hold of tails of the other man's tuxedo coat. He yanked at it, but Will shimmied out of it and continued running. Growling, Harry tossed the coat aside and continued on after his best man.

He couldn't say he felt sorry for Will, but he did have some sympathy for Harry. From what little he knew about him, Harrison Wentworth-Thymes seemed like a nice guy.

Smirking, Castle shook his head, and kept driving, accelerating his speed down the small-town lane, making for the countryside and the road back to London. This family was not his problem anymore. Castle willed his eyes to stay on the road, but despite his best efforts he couldn't help it. His eyes flicked back to the rearview mirror again, and he sighed, slowing the car down. He rolled over to the side of the road and came to a halt. Castle sat there for a long moment, letting the engine run idle as he contemplated his next move.

After a long moment, Castle shook his head and adjusted the gears, spinning the steering wheel and turning the car around to head back towards the two men. He punched the accelerator and easily caught up with Harry, who was still chasing after Will, but was evidently losing some steam.

"Hey," Castle called out as he slowed the car to a crawl, matching Harry's pace.

The groom glanced over at Castle with a perplexed expression, but kept running, his tuxedo flailing about.

"I look like a total wanker, don't I?" Harry questioned, panting hard between each word. The man was definitely winded.

Castle smirked, his eyes alighting with amusement. "Yeah, kind of."

Harry kept running, though it was clear the man was tiring quickly. Will was much further ahead, and the distance was widening. Castle glanced back at Harry and offered him a small smile.

"Only way to beat that guy is to take yourself out of the game," he offered.

Harry finally stopped running. He placed his hands on his knees and doubled over, wheezing as he tried to catch his breath. Castle pulled the convertible over and shifted in his seat to watch.

"Get in the car, Harry," Castle said with a grin. "He's halfway to France by now."

XXX

Kate trudged up the church steps, her head down. Her earlier enthusiasm had been somewhat lessened by the reality of the situation. It wasn't going to be that easy to track Castle down and convince him to give her another shot—if she even deserved one. She didn't know. All she knew was that she loved him. She was absolutely certain of that. It was going to be a lot of work, but Kate was ready for it. She was willing to put in the work if it meant she could have Castle back.

She sighed, and reached down to adjust her gown, trying to get it all back into place before she reentered the church. Kate wanted nothing more than to hurry back to London and hop on the next available flight back home, but she still had obligations to fulfill. She'd made a promise to be Maddie's Maid of Honor, and Kate Beckett kept her promises, even if she wasn't too happy with the bride at the moment.

As she entered St. Peter's Parish Church, Kate immediately noticed the change in atmosphere. Most of the guests were standing and chatting in hushed, scandalized voices. Flicking a loose strand of hair behind an ear, Kate scanned the interior and found Maddie crumpled in the middle of the aisle, Bernard kneeling beside her, rocking her back and forth in a reassuring embrace. Rebekah was standing nearby, frozen in place, looking shell shocked.

It didn't take Kate too long to deduce what had happened. Maddie had done the right thing. She'd told Harry the truth.

XXX

"I trust you've enjoyed your trip to England?" Harry asked as the two of them sat in the parked car, staring out at the English countryside.

"Yeah, it's been fantastic, thanks, Harry," Castle said with a neutral voice as he furrowed his brow in thought, recalling the best highlights of the trip. The highs definitely outweighed the lows. And the common thread was a tough, stubborn, yet beautiful complicated woman named Katherine Beckett.

"You know," Harry spoke at length, brow furrowed as he stared up into the cloudless sky. "I felt sorry for you last night. I was just sitting there like some smug arse thinking aren't I some lucky sod." He stopped and dropped his hand, scrubbing his hands down his face as he heaved in a deep breath. "I forgave her when I thought it was some random bloke." He grimaced. "Bugger it. Why Will?"

Castle stared back at him, unable to offer him an answer.

Harry sighed. "I've had her up on a pedestal ever since…," he trailed off, looking down in self-reflection before continuing. "Well, ever since the day I put her up there." Harry turned to look at Castle. "It's going to take a long time for me to get over this, isn't it?"

Castle shifted in his chest, eyebrows knitting together as he thought. He wanted to find the right words of encouragement. Harry deserved that. He really was a nice guy, and Castle hated to see him so distraught and down. Thinking he might have something to offer, Castle gave it shot.

"The hardest thing is loving someone and having the courage to let them love you back," he said. When he didn't get any response from that, he tried another track. "Okay, well, look at it like this then… if you know her shit—and she knows yours—and at the end of the day you'd rather give up than try… nothing is ever going to be worth it. The most worthwhile things in life are often the most difficult."

The moment he finished, Castle realized those words affected him almost as much, if not more, than Harry. He squinted, and reached up to scratch his chin, letting that thought sink in. If he really looked at it, he'd been running away for most of his life. And if he ever truly wanted happiness, then that had to stop. He needed to make a change, and fight for what he wanted instead of simply giving up. His heart clenched as he made his decision. He knew what he wanted, and he wasn't going to give it up without a fight.

Castle glanced over at Harry, and seeing that the man still looked unsure, decided to add a little more, in hopes of lightening the man's mood.

"Okay, think about it this way," Castle said with a small grin, and a mischievous glint in his eyes, "you get the spend the rest of your life having really great make-up sex."

The two of them laughed at that. Harry shook his head, his lips tugging upwards. His eyes were lighter, and he looked more settled.

"I do love her," he admitted in a soft voice.

"Then the question is… do you love her enough to forgive her?" Castle asked with a raised eyebrow, having already answered the question himself in regards to his relationship Kate. But he was still curious as to which way Harry would go.

Harry thought on it for a moment, and then turned to Castle with a small smile. "Listen, mate, are you coming to my wedding or not?"

In response Castle grinned, keyed the ignition, turned the car around, and headed back into town.


	20. Chapter 20

**The Wedding Date**

* * *

 **Chapter 20**

* * *

Kate pushed open the church doors, blinking as she stepped out into the bright sunlight. Her face was a mask, concealing all the emotions she was feeling inside. Everything just seemed to be falling apart. Castle was gone. The possibility of a relationship with him was tenuous, at best—that is if she could even convince him to give her another shot after she tracked him down once back in New York. And the planned wedding of Madison Queller and Harrison Wentworth-Thymes appeared to be following suit, falling apart before it even began. Kate wanted to feel sorry for her friend, but couldn't find it within her to do so. Maddie's circumstances were of her own making, just like Kate's were of hers.

Sighing, Kate dropped her head and walked down the steps, idly walking down the meandering pathway that led to the carpark. She fiddled with the colorful corsage she wore around her wrist, before she angrily ripped it off and tossed it to the ground, disgusted with the reality of the situation and its apparent hopelessness. She diverted off the path, heading for a stone bench protected under the shade of an ailing willow tree. Kate slumped down onto the cold rough surface, and buried her head in her hands, attempting to stave off the tears.

This was not how she had envisioned this trip going.

First off, she had originally never intended on coming. But Maddie had pleaded with her to be the Maid of Honor. Now, after the revelations learned the previous day, Kate wondered if Maddie's offer had more to do with guilt than anything else. And judging from what Maddie had told her earlier, she was probably right on that account. Scrubbing her hands down her face, trying to pull up the mask of indifference she'd perfected over the years, Kate caught a glimpse of a convertible maneuvering at a rather dangerous speed through the carpark, until it banked right and skidded to a stop just in front of the entrance to the church grounds.

Straightening her back, Kate squinted as she watched two men hastily hop out of the idle vehicle, forgetting to cut the ignition, and hurrying back to do so. Then the two men started towards the church at a quick jog. As they got closer, Kate noticed that they were both dressed in tuxedos, one working at fixing his coat while the other hurried at buttoning up his shirt and knotting his bowtie. A startled gasped escaped her throat when she recognized the second man.

"Castle!?" she yelped in surprise, shooting up from her seat on the stone bench.

Both men skidded to a halt almost comically, their heads spinning in unison to look in her direction.

"Kate!" her former escort grinned. He held up a hand, silently asking for a minute, and redirected his attention to his companion, who Kate finally noticed was Harry. Castle put a hand on the man's shoulder. "I'll meet you inside."

Harry took in a quick breath, glancing back and forth between Castle and Kate, his movements quick like an excited dog. "Yeah, okay, mate," he said with a nod, patting Castle's shoulder in what Kate could only guess was a reassuring manner, before turning and jogging up the path towards the church door.

Castle stood there for a moment, watching the groom run up the steps and disappearing inside. Kate waited, taking a moment to observe him. She had trouble reading him, which unnerved her a little bit. Kate had always been good at reading people; it was one of her innate talents that made her such a great detective. It served her well in the interrogation room, but all too often failed her in her personal life.

After taking in a deep breath, Castle finally turned to face her, his expression relaxed and manner easy. He smiled at her, and she smiled back.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi," she echoed, her heart jackhammering inside her chest.

Castle stood there for a moment, taking her in, his eyes moving up and down the length of her body. She blushed under his scrutiny, returning his gaze, and appreciating how dapper and handsome he looked in his tuxedo.

He pursed his lips and swallowed. She watched the bob of his throat as he did so, entranced. After a moment, Castle seemed to relax. He grinned reassuringly and took a few steps forward to join her under the shade of the willow tree.

"You look beautiful," he asserted in a confident tone.

Kate ducked her head down, feeling bashful, so unlike herself, but this man… this man did things to her that no other man ever did. She shook her head, feeling self-conscious of her slightly disheveled appearance due to her mad rush to the boathouse. She didn't feel beautiful, yet under his intense gaze she did. It gave her confidence to return his look.

"You're not so bad yourself, Castle," she replied with a small smile. She took a breath, and then poured her heart out, trusting him to catch her. "I'm so sorry, Rick. I said terrible, awful things that I didn't mean." Her throat clogged up with the heavy regret that she'd ever said such words to him. "You have been nothing but wonderful and supportive during this whole trip. And I've been… well, I've been…"

"Confused? Conflicted?"

"Yes, both, I suppose," Kate shrugged, letting out a soft self-deprecating chuckle. She dropped her head, and carded her fingers through her hair to buy her some time to gather her thoughts. "I never intended any of this," she tried to explain when she glanced back up at him. "I never meant to fall in love with you, but… but I did. And I don't regret it. I don't regret anything we did together."

"Not even sleeping with me?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Kate inclined her head, acknowledging the relevance of the question. She'd been quite cruel about that last night. And she deeply regretted saying she wished she'd never slept with him, because the truth was quite the opposite.

"Especially that," she replied with a saucy smirk. "I would never, ever take that night away. It was wonderful, and… and so very beautiful. I…" she paused to swallow the lump of emotion choking her up. "I've never been loved like that before. Never. It… I would never regret being with you, Rick. Never. It was one of the best nights of my life."

"Mine too," he said in a soft, sincere voice.

It made Kate smile to hear him say that. Maybe it wasn't all over. Perhaps there was still a chance to fix all of this. The fact he'd come back had to mean something, right?

"Castle…," she started, but then stopped, shaking her head. "Rick," she made a point of using his first name, because this was important. "I love you. Yeah, I know we barely know each other, but I still love you. It's ridiculous, and defies all sorts of logic, but it's the truth." Her lips tugged upwards in a small smile. "It took me losing you to realize that I never want to lose you. Ever. I need you, Castle. I… I want you. I just want you."

Feeling brave, she reached up to trail her fingertips along his jawline. Castle closed his eyes and eased into her touch as she grew bolder. She tipped her head up and nudged her nose against his, parting her lips as they shared an intimate breath. However, before she could seek his mouth out with hers and seal her declaration with a kiss, Castle gently nudged her backward. Her eyes flickered open and she gazed up at him with a confused look. His eyes sparkled with mutual longing and attraction, contradicting his actions.

For a while afterwards, they simply stood there, staring at one another. It was intense and electrifying.

Castle waited a beat, allowing the moment to pass on its own accord, before speaking. "When we were fighting last night, it hit me. No one had ever cared about me as much as you had cared about Will. _That's_ why I was so angry. I hated it."

"Why?"

"Because I broke one of the most important rules in my profession," he said. "I fell in love."

"Rick…"

"And that's why it angered me so much," he interrupted before she could say anything more. "I hated how you still carried feelings for that jackass while I was falling in love with you. And I wanted you to love me, not him. I could tell you were conflicted, but I couldn't take it. I've never felt this way about anyone, and seeing that you couldn't commit, that you still might hold feelings for him… well, it torn me apart. It shouldn't, but it did. All I want is for you to be happy, Kate. I never meant to take my frustration out on you—I didn't mean to hurt you." He paused for a breath. "That's why I had to leave. I was going to get out of here—leave you alone to your self-imposed misery—but halfway out of the county, I realized—"

From inside the church the wedding march began to play. Castle shook his head, smirking. He turned back to Kate and took her hands in his. She swallowed and stared down, watching as he interlaced their fingers together. It was like a promise manifest. He squeezed and she squeezed back.

"What did you realize?" she asked softly.

Castle licked his lips, staring back at her with the most serious expression she'd ever seen from him. "I'd rather fight with you than make love to anyone else," he said.

The statement left Kate speechless. But she couldn't help but agree with his assertion. Their bickering was like foreplay. It was filled with subtle emotion and innuendo that left her wanting more, wanting him. It was hot, more intense than any physical relationship she'd ever had. And then when they'd actually had sex, well… that was beyond description. She had never felt that way with anyone else. No one. With Castle everything just seemed better. It was hard to explain. But that was it. He made everything in her life better, and she could think of no greater reason than that to surrender to her feelings and finally let someone hold her heart once again.

Before Kate could respond, Castle wrapped his arms around her in a fierce embrace and kissed her with such a passion that she was left dizzy and breathless. It was unlike any kiss Kate had ever experienced. A little moan escaped her throat, and Castle took advantage of it, deepening the kiss with the addition of his tongue. She melted into his embrace, into him. He kissed her like he was going to keep on kissing her forever.

All too soon he was pulling back. Kate's chest heaved as she gulped in a mouthful of air. Her entire body was on fire. The final cracks in her wall gave way, crumbling down until she was left bare and unprotected, defenseless. But as she stared back into Castle's eyes, Kate discovered that she didn't care. She trusted him. He would not abuse the gift of her heart. Her mouth spread wide into a beaming smile, and she leaned up to kiss him again, but he held her back.

Frowning, she started to protest, but he placed a hand over her mouth to silence her. His eyes sparkled, and he grinned at her.

"I should go," he said.

"What!?" she gasped, shaking her head. "No, no. You can't—"

"I have to," Castle insisted, interrupting her with an amused look as he bent down to nip at her lips playfully, effectively silencing her. She scrunched up her nose and stared at him with a perplexed expression. He grinned and waggled his eyebrows as he offered an explanation. "I'm the best man."

XXX

"Today is a day for love and for beauty," Kate spoke, holding the microphone up to her mouth with one hand, while in her other holding a flute of champagne. She looked from Harry and Maddie, now husband and wife, sitting close together at the bridal table, and then turned her eyes to the ruggedly handsome best man, seated just next to the groom, before continuing her speech. "But most of all, it's a day for truth."

Castle smiled back at her, his eyes sparkling, and she paused in her speech to return the smile, meeting his eyes and trying to convey her gratitude and love in just one look. From his expression, Kate believed he received her message loud and clear. He flashed her a wink, and she ducked her head down in an attempt to stifle a rather girlish giggle. It was amazing, the things this man did to her. Taking a quick breath, Kate calmed her rapidly beating heart, and returned to her speech.

"I kept trying to come up with something to say since Maddie first called and asked me to be her Maid of Honor. It was supposed to be touching and funny, but I think we all know I'm not really good at that," Kate said, pausing for the good-natured laughter that accompanied that statement. She looked at Castle, finding support and encouragement in his adoring gaze. "I've known Maddie, Rebekah, and Bernard for a longtime. We're almost like family. Maddie and I spent many summers here during our youth. But as with most friendships started in your teens, we sadly drifted apart. We weren't as close as I'd like, but we were still friends."

Maddie inclined her head, sniffling as she wiped at the tears manifesting in her eyes. Harry clutched her hand in his, raising it to press a reassuring kiss against her knuckles. Kate smiled at the pair, happy that despite losing each other, they still found each other. She glanced at Castle briefly, realizing that that statement was true for them as well.

"To be honest," she continued after a beat, "part of me didn't expect to be coming back to England, certainly not to see Maddie get married. So, when she called and told me, to say I was surprised would be a vast understatement." She paused for a few chuckles that came from the gathered guests. "I thought I'd come back to England and have an epiphany. I'd see Maddie and the perfect thing to say would pop into my head. And it would encapsulate how and why I love my friend."

She took a moment to catch her breath, running the words over in her head before saying them out loud. She'd never intended to wing her speech, but here she was doing just that. Kate glanced over at Castle again, seeking his silent support and receiving it from way he looked at her. He looked at her like a man in awe of the woman he loved.

It was invigorating. It made her bold, and confident in herself in a way that didn't really necessary lessen her own strength, but enhanced it.

Kate Beckett wasn't the kind of woman that needed a man to find fulfilment and her happy ending. But he was still a part of it. And the thought made her heart swell. This—she was sure—was what her mother would have wanted. For Kate to be happy. And allowing Castle into her heart, letting him love her, and loving him in return, that made Kate happy.

"However," Kate continued after a breath, "when I arrived everything was a mess, and the truth and beauty line was all I could come up with. And I think I might have stolen that from the back of an in-flight magazine." She allowed herself to laugh along with the assembled guests.

She looked towards Maddie and Harry, and then back at Castle. And though her next words were directed at the bride and groom, Kate was really speaking to Castle.

"It can be the scariest thing in the world to let someone love you and to know how to love them back," she said, speaking from her heart as she stared deeply into Castle's eyes. He nodded ever so slightly, letting her know he heard and understood her meaning. She smiled softly and turned her focus back on the newlyweds. "Take good care of each other. I love you both." She raised her champagne flute up in the air. "To Maddie and Harry."

Everyone repeated the toast, raising their glasses in the air and declaring, "To Maddie and Harry."

While everyone clinked their glasses, Kate shared a long, meaningful look with a grateful bride. Maddie mouthed a silent _thank you_ , before tipping her glass back and sipping her champagne. Kate did the same, only after locking eyes with Castle and sharing another, but wholly different, meaningful look.

XXX

The partying was still going strong as the sun began to set on the wedding reception. Bernard and Rebekah were on the dance floor, swaying slowly to the romantic ballad that the band was playing. George and Linda Wentworth-Thymes, the parents of the groom, sat at their table, enjoying some after dinner wine and sharing an extra helping of the wedding cake. The newlyweds were both drunk on love and the moment, having only eyes for each other as they danced alongside the other guests on the dancefloor. And yet there was another couple that looked just as in love and lost in each other.

Kate sighed in contentment, resting her head on Castle's broad shoulder as he took the lead, holding her close as they moved to the music. He tilted his head and pressed a soft kiss to her temple. He clutched her hand in his, just above his heart.

"It was a nice speech," he murmured with a smirk, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "I thought it was 'touching'… and 'funny'."

Kate pulled her head back to stare at him with a very mild form of her infamous interrogation glare. After a moment, she softened, and offered him a small smile. "Thank you."

Castle inclined his head, then stepped back to gracefully spin her around in time with the swell of the music. As Kate return to his embrace, she grinned. They really did dance beautifully together.

"So…," she hedged, glancing at him with a teasing expression, playfully flicking her tongue out between her teeth. "Since I've generously agreed to go out with you, I think it's only fair that you tell me how you got into the business."

He tugged her flush to him, glancing around conspiratorially before lowering his head. Kate's heartrate picked up, due more to the closeness of their bodies than the anticipation of finally learning the reason why he became an escort.

"You know why I never tell the real story of how I got into this?" he asked.

Kate shook her head. Castle swung her around in an elaborate dip, and gently kissed her on the neck, causing delightful sensations to tingle all throughout her body.

"Because it's boring," he continued.

She let out a laugh at that, biting her lower lip as she rolled her eyes. "Somehow I knew you'd say that."

"Is that so?"

Kate bobbed her head, grinning happily. Castle leaned forward and captured her mouth in a kiss that made her forget her witty comeback. He smirked as he pulled back.

"Now, if you want to hear a good story, let me tell you the story of how I got out of the escort business," Castle waggled his eyebrows at her suggestively as she laughed.

Kate smiled at Castle and he smiled back. The rest of the world just seemed to melt away, and it was just the two of them. Kate knew it wasn't always going to be this easy. There would be struggles and challenges ahead, as with all relationships. But somehow that did not scare her as it once did. Because Kate knew that this time it was different, that this time she would be doing it with the right person, and for the right reasons.

Kate had definitely got more than she'd bargained for when she hired Richard Castle to be her escort to her best friend's wedding. This weekend hadn't gone exactly as planned. She had learned a devastating truth, but had also realized something wonderful. Kate looked up into the eyes of the man she loved, and she smiled. She was happy, truly happy for as long as she could remember.

"What is it?" Castle asked, his brow crinkling adorably.

"Nothing. I'm just happy."

He smiled back at her. "Me too."

And then he kissed her. And she kissed him.

Yeah, she thought. Despite the pain and heartache she had experienced over the weekend, she wouldn't change a thing.


	21. Epilogue

**The Wedding Date**

* * *

 **Epilogue**

* * *

 _One Year Later…_

* * *

Kate let herself into the loft, dropping her keys into the bowl resting on the credenza by the door. She let out a breath, the exhaustion from the long day at work sinking in. But she was glad to be home. She smiled. That had not taken long, had it? She still had her apartment, yet over the last couple months she'd been spending more and more nights at the loft. It was only a matter of time until she eventually officially moved in. And, like a lot of things in her relationship with Richard Castle, that didn't scare her as much as it would have with someone else.

After depositing her coat and bag on the sofa, Kate made her way into the kitchen where, much to her delight, she found a freshly made pot of coffee just waiting for her. She grinned happily, and poured herself a cup. Holding it up to her nose, she inhaled deeply of the rich blend that he always made for her. He so spoiled her with all these expensive and exotic blends. Unintentionally he had also ruined the precinct coffee for her. He'd tried it once, when he came to pick her up for a date night, and had immediately spat it out, his face scrunching up in disgust as he glanced up at her.

"How can you drink this swill, Kate!?" he had declared. "It tastes like a monkey peed in battery acid."

While his metaphor was rather colorful, it was still the truth. The coffee in the break room at the 12th precinct was terrible. Kate much preferred the coffee Castle made for her. He knew exactly how she liked it, and always made sure she had a fresh cup when she needed one.

Kate rested her hip against the counter and took a moment to simply enjoy herself. She glanced about the loft and smiled softly, recalling the memories she'd made in the place over the last year. It hadn't always been easy, they'd shared some ups and downs, and had some really nasty, drag out fights—mostly over her 'obsession' with her mother's case, but in the end, they had only grown stronger and closer together. She had never been so happy or so much in love.

Funny enough, it had been one of those fights that had changed everything.

At one point, several months ago, Castle had accused her of using her mother's death as an excuse, holding her back from fully committing to them and their future. He asserted that if he could give up his profession and start anew in his attempts at being a writer, she could—at the very least—pull back a bit on investigating so that they could work out what they both wanted out of their relationship. It was ridiculous. Kate had thought he was being too harsh and hostile. She'd thought it was obvious what she wanted from their relationship, but then again, she had never been good at communicating that in previous relationships. And, at that time, Kate was still primarily staying most nights at her apartment instead of the loft.

Much to her embarrassment, they even had a row at the precinct right in front of all her colleagues. The argument had become so heated that Castle had accidentally knocked over the ceramic parade of elephants that Kate had on her desk. It had been her mother's. Kate had been so angry when it cracked opened on the bullpen's hardwood floor. But then they had spotted a mini-cassette lodged in a hidden compartment.

That argument had ended up breaking her mother's case wide open. On the tape, Captain Roy Montgomery—her boss and mentor—spoke with the man who had ordered her mother's death. She was shocked and devastated to learn of her superior's involvement. Her colleagues, Detectives Ryan and Esposito, felt just as betrayed as she had.

When confronted with the tape, Montgomery admitted to the truth. He offered himself up, confessing to taking part in an extortion scheme in the 1980s that was targeting the city's mobs and gangs, and how during one of their escapades he'd accidently shot an undercover FBI agent. His partners-in-crime had helped him cover it up. But their scheme was discovered by a rising star in New York's political circle, a young Assistant District Attorney, who had his eyes set on higher office. The ADA had blackmailed them for the money they'd extorted from the mob. And he had then used that money to become the man he was today—the leading candidate in the upcoming presidential election: Senator William Bracken.

Ultimately, Kate had forgiven her captain. It had been difficult, but despite his flaws, Roy Montgomery was still a good man. His testimony, along with the tape and files he'd kept as insurance, helped bring justice to the decade old murder. With Bracken behind bars, Kate was finally at peace. And she was able to fully move on and embrace her future.

It seemed so long ago, now that she thought about it. Like another life. So much had happened since then: The 12th precinct had got a new captain, Kate was able to fully reconcile with her father, Maddie and Harry had twins, and with her encouragement, Castle reunited with his estranged Broadway diva mother, Martha Rodgers. And to top it all off, Castle also wrote and published his first novel in years. Their relationship, it seemed, had rejuvenated his passion for writing and storytelling, and much to her chagrin, her boyfriend based his new character on her. Nikki Heat. Kate hated the name, thought it sounded more like a stripper name than a cop name, but she couldn't deny how flattering it was to be his muse and inspiration. And it helped that he did justice to the character and her story.

A contented sigh left her lips.

She _was_ happy. There was no denying it. _Yeah, life was good._

"Hey, you're home, I didn't hear you come in," Castle's smooth voice startled her out of her reverie.

Kate inclined her head, taking another sip of her coffee, before setting the cup down and turning around to accept his comforting and warm embrace. He wrapped his arms around her, one hand slowly running up and down her back in a soothing manner that helped to ease the fatigue of the day. Kate hummed in appreciation, closing her eyes as she melted into him, and basked in his support and love. After a long beat, she pulled back and pushed up on her toes, meeting his mouth with hers, kissing him deeply.

"What was that for?" asked a pleasantly delighted Castle.

"Nothing," she said with a sly smile. "And everything."

"Oh?" he teased with a grin, waggling his eyebrows suggestively as his hand dropped down her lower back to cup her backside.

Kate ducked her head down and giggled, playfully swatting his chest as he dipped his head down to steal another kiss from her. A little moan escaped her throat as his tongue swept across her lower lip. She let out a contented sigh as he pulled back, grinning.

"And here I thought it was because of this," he said with a pout.

Kate frowned in confusion as he retrieved a small velvet box out of his pocket and held it up for her to see.

"Rick?" she gasped in surprise, completely blindsided.

But before she could inquire further, Castle was bending down on one knee and looking up at her like she was the only woman in the world. Her heart jumped into her throat and tears started to wet her eyes as he popped the lid open on the small velvet box, displaying the simple, yet elegant diamond ring within.

"Katherine Houghton Beckett," Castle said in that smooth, charming voice of his. "Will you marry me?"

* * *

 **The End**


End file.
